Title IV-B Child and Family Service Plan: Annual Progress and Service Report, June 2005

The development of the Five Year Child and Family Service Plan for fiscal years 2005-2009 was based on information in the Final Report for fiscal years 2000-2004, and Iowa’s CFSR, as well as input from stakeholders and the public gathered through the CFSR and the Better Results for Kids redesign.

Title IV-B Child and Family Service Plan 2010 Annual Progress and Service Report, June 2010

In June 2009, the Iowa Department of Human Service (IDHS) developed a Child and Family Service Plan (CFSP) that sets forth the Department’s vision and goals to be accomplished for FYs 2010 through 2014. The purpose of the CFSP is to strengthen the States’ overall child welfare system and to facilitate the state’s integration of the programs that serve children and families into a comprehensive and continuum array of child welfare services from prevention and protection through permanency. These programs include title IV-B, subparts 1 and 2 of the Act, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP), and the Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) programs for older and/or former foster care youth. IDHS administers the IV-B, CAPTA, CFCIP and the ETV programs described within Iowa’s CFSP. Iowa’s Annual Progress and Services Report (APSR) provides an annual update on the progress made toward accomplishing the goals and objectives identified in the state’s CFSP for the previous fiscal year (2009-2010) and the planned activities for next fiscal year (2010-2011) .

Executive Summary, Feasibility Report on Proposed Amtrak Service Quad Cities-Chicago, January 7, 2008

Since the introduction of expanded levels of intrastate service on October 30, 2006, Amtrak trains in Illinois have produced impressive gains in both ridership and ticket revenue. This success and continuing stakeholder support has given rise to a formal request from the Illinois Department of Transportation (“Ill. DOT”) to Amtrak to develop a feasibility study regarding possible service consisting of a morning and an evening train in each direction between Chicago and the Quad Cities. The area between Chicago and the Quad Cities includes many rapidly growing communities. From Chicago toward the West and South, many towns and cities have experienced double digit growth increases in population since the year 2000. Southern DuPage, Cook and Will counties have seen especially strong growth, pressuring highway infrastructure, utilities, and schools. Community development and highway congestion are readily apparent when traveling the nearly 3 hour, 175 mile route between Chicago and the Quad Cities. As information, there are only three weekday round trip bus frequencies available between Chicago and the Quad Cities. The Quad City International Airport offers a total of 10 daily scheduled round trip flights to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport via two separate carriers flying regional jets. The Quad Cities (Davenport, Moline, Rock Island, and Bettendorf) are located along the Mississippi River. Nearly 60% of its visitors are from the Chicago area. With dozens of miles of scenic riverfront, river boating, casinos, and thousands of acres of expansive public spaces, the Quad Cities area is a major draw from both Iowa and Illinois. The huge Rock Island Arsenal, one of the largest military arsenals in the country and located along the river, is transitioning to become the headquarters of the United States First Army. As will be discussed later in the report, there is only one logical rail route through the Quad Cities themselves. The Iowa Interstate Railroad operates through the Quad Cities along the river and heads west through Iowa. The Quad Cities are considering at least three potential locations for an Amtrak station. A study now underway supported by several local stakeholders will recommend a site which will then be considered, given available local and other financial support. If Amtrak service were to terminate in the Quad Cities, an overnight storage track of sufficient length along with ample parking and certain other requirements covered elsewhere in the report would be required.

Feasibility Study on Proposed Amtrak service from Chicago, to Iowa City, Iowa via Quad Cities, December 5, 2007

Soon after the Illinois Department of Transportation (“Ill. DOT”) requested Amtrak to conduct a feasibility study on proposed Amtrak service between Chicago and the Illinois Quad Cities, the Iowa Department of Transportation (“Iowa DOT”) asked that the study be extended to Iowa City and later to Des Moines. This report examines the feasibility of extending service to Iowa City. The completed report for the proposed Chicago – Quad Cities’ service was delivered to Ill. DOT in early January 2008. It assumes a stand-alone train operation strictly within the State of Illinois and makes no reference to extending the service into the State of Iowa. Therefore, there is no discussion about potential cost sharing allocations for capital improvements or operating losses between the two states which will become a matter of future negotiations between the two jurisdictions. That being said, this report on extending the service to Iowa City is simply an addendum to the Quad Cities report and covers such topics as additional capital infrastructure improvements that would be required in Iowa, impacts on operating expenses, revised ridership and revenue projections, and the like. With one minor exception, the recommended level of capital improvements within Illinois will still be required if the service to Iowa City is initiated. It is thus important for the readers of this report to refer to the Illinois study for detailed information on that state’s portion of the route alternatives.

Patients âgés admis aux urgences suite à une chute: que faire [Older people admitted to the emergency department after a fall: what to do?].

Falls in older people are frequent. Falls may lead to serious injuries and are associated with greater morbidity, mortality, and reduced overall functioning in the older population. Evidences exist regarding the beneficial effects of fall prevention programs. However, these interventions are rarely implemented in our health system. Older people admitted to the emergency department after a fall should get careful attention in order to initiate specific interventions to prevent new falls. This article provides a clinical assessment strategy to evaluate older persons after a fall and proposes an algorithm for discharge planning decision.

Oligoanalgesia in the emergency department: short-term beneficial effects of an education program on acute pain.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Acute pain is the most frequent complaint in emergency department (ED) admissions, but its management is often neglected, placing patients at risk of oligoanalgesia. We evaluate the effect of the implementation of guidelines for pain management in ED patients with pain at admission or anytime during their stay in our ED. METHODS: This prospective pre-post intervention cohort study included data collection both before and after guideline implementation. Consecutive adult patients admitted with acute pain from any cause or with pain at any time after admission were enrolled. The quality of pain management was evaluated according to information in the ED medical records by using a standardized collection form, and its impact on patients was recorded with a questionnaire at discharge. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-nine and 192 patients were included during pre- and postintervention periods. Pain was documented in 61% and 76% of nurse and physician notes, respectively, versus 78% and 85% after the intervention (difference 17%/9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 8% to 26%/2% to 17%, respectively). Administration of analgesia increased from 40% to 63% (difference 23%; 95% CI 13% to 32%) and of morphine from 10% to 27% (difference 17%; 95% CI 10% to 24%). Mean doses of intravenous morphine increased from 2.4 mg (95% CI 1.9 to 2.9 mg) to 4.6 mg (95% CI 3.9 to 5.3 mg); administration of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and acetaminophen increased as well. There was a greater reduction of visual analogue scale score after intervention: 2.1 cm (95% CI 1.7 to 2.4 cm) versus 2.9 cm (95% CI 2.5 to 3.3 cm), which was associated with improved patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Education program and guidelines implementation for pain management lead to improved pain management, analgesia, and patient satisfaction in the ED.

Iowa Railroad Service Map, July 1, 2012

Iowa railroad service map of Iowa trains in color.

Department of Commerce - Iowa Utilities Board, Performance Report, Performance Results Achieved for Fiscal Year 2012

This report highlights the services the IUB provided to Iowans, along with results achieved to ensure reliability, and to improve and expand utility service infrastructure in Iowa. This information is provided in accordance with the State of Iowa Accountable Government Act, Iowa Code chapter 8E. The two basic business functions of the IUB are utility regulation and compliance, and resource management. This report covers performance information for both of these areas.

Department of Commerce - Iowa Utilities Board, Performance Report, Performance Results Achieved for Fiscal Year 2011

This report highlights the services the IUB provided to Iowans, along with results achieved to ensure reliability, and to improve and expand utility service infrastructure in Iowa. This information is provided in accordance with the State of Iowa Accountable Government Act, Iowa Code chapter 8E. The two basic business functions of the IUB are utility regulation and compliance, and resource management. This report covers performance information for both of these areas.

Midwest Regional Rail Passenger Initiative and Passenger Rail Service in Iowa Status Report

This report provides the status of the Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund and the development and operation of the midwest regional rail system and the state's passenger rail service.

Clinical predictors for Legionella in patients presenting with community-acquired pneumonia to the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Legionella species cause severe forms of pneumonia with high mortality and complication rates. Accurate clinical predictors to assess the likelihood of Legionella community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in patients presenting to the emergency department are lacking. METHODS: We retrospectively compared clinical and laboratory data of 82 consecutive patients with Legionella CAP with 368 consecutive patients with non-Legionella CAP included in two studies at the same institution. RESULTS: In multivariate logistic regression analysis we identified six parameters, namely high body temperature (OR 1.67, p < 0.0001), absence of sputum production (OR 3.67, p < 0.0001), low serum sodium concentrations (OR 0.89, p = 0.011), high levels of lactate dehydrogenase (OR 1.003, p = 0.007) and C-reactive protein (OR 1.006, p < 0.0001) and low platelet counts (OR 0.991, p < 0.0001), as independent predictors of Legionella CAP. Using optimal cut off values of these six parameters, we calculated a diagnostic score for Legionella CAP. The median score was significantly higher in Legionella CAP as compared to patients without Legionella (4 (IQR 3-4) vs 2 (IQR 1-2), p < 0.0001) with a respective odds ratio of 3.34 (95%CI 2.57-4.33, p < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristics showed a high diagnostic accuracy of this diagnostic score (AUC 0.86 (95%CI 0.81-0.90), which was better as compared to each parameter alone. Of the 191 patients (42%) with a score of 0 or 1 point, only 3% had Legionella pneumonia. Conversely, of the 73 patients (16%) with > or =4 points, 66% of patients had Legionella CAP. CONCLUSION: Six clinical and laboratory parameters embedded in a simple diagnostic score accurately identified patients with Legionella CAP. If validated in future studies, this score might aid in the management of suspected Legionella CAP.

Rail service map : [Iowa], 1983

This map shows operational and abandoned service rail lines in Iowa.

Accès des patients agés aux urgences: evolution démographique et perspectives médico-ethiques [Access of elderly patients in the emergency department: demographic evolution and ethical perspectives].

Due to actual demographic evolution, emergency departments have to face a dramatic increase in admissions of elderly people. The peculiar medical and socio-demographic characteristics of these old patients emphasize the need of specific decision processes and resources allocation. An individual-based approach, related to significant ethical values, should allow better diagnostic and therapeutic attitudes. Such a way to admit, evaluate and treat older patients implies an active collaboration with patients and their relatives, but also with all medical interveners, including in particular primary care physicians.

Department of Commerce Iowa Utilities Board, Performance Report, FY2013

This report highlights the services the IUB provided to Iowans, along with results achieved to ensure reliability, and to improve and expand utility service infrastructure in Iowa. This information is provided in accordance with the State of Iowa Accountable Government Act, Iowa Code chapter 8E. The two basic business functions of the IUB are utility regulation and compliance, and resource management. This report covers performance information for both of these areas.

Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, Strategic Plan 2012-2015

The Department of Cultural Affairs was created in the state government reorganization in 1986. The department’s two divisions, the Iowa Arts Council and the State Historical Society (SHSI) have a much longer history of service to Iowans. With such a rich history, it is fitting that the Department of Cultural Affairs calls the State Historical Museum home, a facility which collects, preserves and showcases Iowa’s treasures that itself can trace its roots in state government back 120 years. Generations of Iowans have been touched by the programs and services provided through this department. Though organized as one department, the DCA has never undergone strategic planning as a single, cohesive organization. With a desire to move forward as a stronger, more unified entity, a departmentwide strategic planning process becomes critical to future success as the department continues to better assess its resources and expertise internally, while ensuring it is focused on the common goal of leveraging cultural resources across the state of Iowa.