News Releases

2021

01/15/2021: Clinton County Residents May Be Eligible for Disaster Food Assistance

2020

11/20/2020: DHS Announces New Partnership to Grow Iowa’s Healthcare Workforce

10/29/2020: Newborn Girl Born Oct. 12 Declared Safe Haven Baby

10/15/2020: Newborn Girl Born Sept. 27 Declared Safe Haven Baby

9/30/2020: Newborn Girl Born Sept. 13 Declared Safe Haven Baby

9/18/2020: DHS Announces Disaster Food Assistance for Five More Counties

9/11/2020: DHS Announces Disaster Food Assistance for Additional Counties

9/2/2020: DHS Publishes Family First Data

08/28/20: Disaster Food Assistance Announced for Linn County Residents

08/28/20: Director Garcia Appoints New Superintendent at the Boys State Training School

08/24/20: DHS Announces Temporary Hot Food Waiver for Linn County Food Assistance Recipients

08/12/20: DHS Announces Resources for Iowans Affected by Severe Weather (Espanol)

08/06/20: Ashton Kutcher Reads to Iowa’s Children

07/22/20: Update on Pandemic Food Assistance Benefits Distribution

07/22/20: Iowa’s Medicaid Director to Transition to the Private Sector

07/07/20: Gov. Reynolds steers $50M CARES Funds toward Iowa’s Mental Health System 

07/06/20: DHS Announces Pandemic Food Assistance Distribution Plan

06/24/20: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

06/17/20: DHS Launches New Mandatory Reporter Platform

06/12/20: DHS Releases CARES Act Funding Totals for April and May

06/5/20: DHS Launches Community Integration Plan 

05/29/20: Increased Food Assistance Continues

05/27/20: DHS Launches COVID Recovery Iowa

05/22/20: Hoover Data Center to Undergo Outage This Weekend That Will Impact Access to DHS Portals

05/15/20: Director Garcia Announces Leadership Appointment

05/11/20: DHS Announces Additional Support for Foster Group Care and Shelter Care Providers

05/05/20: DHS Announces Additional Support for Childcare Providers

04/01/20: DHS Partners with Cedar Ridge Distillery and the Department of Corrections to Provide Hand Sanitizer to Frontline DHS Staff and Childcare Providers

03/27/20: DHS Takes Multiple Steps to Ensure Food Security, Including New Online Options Through Amazon and Walmart

03/20/20: DHS Issues Updated Childcare Guidance in Response to COVID-19

03/17/20: DHS Submitting Federal Waivers to Ensure Continued Access to Medical Assistance and Flexibility to Meet the Needs of Iowans

03/16/20: DHS Takes Measures to Protect Team Members, Mitigate Spread, While Ensuring Continued Services to Iowans

03/13/20: Director Garcia Announces Leadership Team Appointments

03/10/20: Federal Reimbursement Now Available for Legal Representation for Children, Parents

02/06/20: Iowa Workers Get Free Tax Preparation Assistance

01/24/20: Investigation Leads to Notification of Data Breach

Frequently Asked Questions: Document Disposal Data Breach, November 25, 2019

2019

11/08/19: Director Garcia Begins New Duties

10/22/19: Hawki Program Celebrates 20 Years

07/10/19: New IA Health Link Contracts Signed

06/07/19: Newborn Boy and Girl Declared Safe Haven Babies

05/31/19: Counseling Available for People Impacted by Flooding

05/30/19: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

05/06/19: DHS Announces Important Protections for Medicaid Members and Town Hall Tour Throughout State

DHS Town Hall Presentation

05/01/19: Governor Reynolds Signs Historic Bill to Create a Children's Mental Health System

04/18/19: Some Iowans May Be Eiligible for Disaster Food Assistance

04/05/19: Some Iowans May Be Eligible for Disaster Food Assistance

03/29/19: UnitedHealthcare to Depart from the IA Health Link Program

03/01/19: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

01/29/19: Iowa Workers Get Free Tax Preparation Assistance

01/16/19: Important Update Related to Food Assistance Benefits

01/14/19: Medicaid Reports Demonstrate Key Program Improvements

2018

12/06/18: Iowa Child Support Recovery Launches New Option to Pay Child Support at Retailers

12/03/18: DHS Awarded Strategic Support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation

11/19/18: Children's Board Issues Strategic Plan with Recommendations to Create a Children's Behavioral Health System

10/12/18: Scam Targets Food Assistance Recipients

10/11/18: Progress Continues on Mental Health System in Iowa

09/27/18: Iowans Invited to Give Input on Children’s Mental Health Services in October

08/31/18: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

08/24/18: New Contracts Signed, Demonstrate Commitment to Oversight

08/20/18: Development of Children’s Mental Health System Begins

07/12/18: DHS Celebrates Dr. Bhasker Dave’s 50 Years of Service

03/29/18: Landmark Mental Health Legislation Signed into Law

02/02/18: Iowa Workers Get Free Tax Preparation Assistance

2017

11/22/17: DHS Announces Temporary Suspension of MCO Choice

11/17/17: New Medicaid Director Appointed to DHS

10/31/17: DHS Announces Changes to the IA Health Link Managed Care Program

10/31/17: UPDATE: MEDIA ADVISORY at 1:30 p.m.: DHS to Hold Press Conference on the IA Health Link Program

10/20/17: Email Phishing Campaign Leads to Notification of Data Breach and Email Phishing FAQs

09/01/17: Newborn Girl Declared 30th Safe Haven Baby

08/22/17: New Deputy Director Appointed to DHS

08/07/17: New Training Available In-Person, Online for Child Care Providers

08/04/17: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

07/31/17: DHS Helps When Disaster Strikes

07/31/17: August is National Child Support Awareness Month

7/13/17: Newborn Girl Declared Safe Haven Baby

07/11/17: State Training School meets, exceeds all standards in federal audit

06/22/17: Foxhoven appointed director of DHS

06/13/17: Double Up Food Bucks: A Food Assistance Pilot Program

06/05/17 : DHS Engages National Expert for Child Welfare Review

04/28/17: Newborn Girl Declared Safe Haven Baby

01/20/17: Iowa Workers Get Free Tax Preparation Assistance

01/11/17: Rickman earns Casey Excellence for Children Award in Leadership

01/04/17: DHS takes action following client mistreatment at Glenwood State Resource Center

2016

06/17/16: Newborn Girl Declared Safe Haven Baby

03/23/16: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

03/22/16: One-stop Shop for Farmers to Sign Up to Accept Food Assistance

02/02/16: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

01/22/16: Iowa Workers Get Free Tax Preparation Assistance

2015

11/18/15: Cherokee Mental Health Institute Earns ‘Top Performer’ Recognition

11/16/15: DHS addresses federal regulators regarding Medicaid Modernization

10/30/15: November is National Adoption Month

10/27/15: A Health Link resources available to Medicaid providers

10/23/15: Dr. Dave Receives Distinguished Paul E. Huston Award

10/15/15: DHS announces hearings for setting child support guidelines

10/09/15: DHS Announces Medicaid Modernization Contracts

08/17/15: DHS Announces Winning Bidders for Medicaid Modernization Initiative

08/12/15: Mental Health System Update presentation

07/13/15: DHS Awarded Bonus for Food Assistance Performance

05/15/15: Boys’ State Training School achieves 100 percent compliance

05/01/15: New Medicaid Director Appointed to DHS

04/03/15: Child Support Recovery Unit Offers New Web Services

04/01/15: April 30 Marks End of Open Enrollment for Marketplace. Medicaid Enrollment Continues Year-Round

02/27/15: Agency focuses on families, stakeholders - DHS meets federal goals

02/16/15: DHS Posts RFP on Medicaid Modernization Effort

02/13/15: Open Enrollment Ends for Marketplace, Medicaid Enrollment Continues Year-Round

01/27/15: DHS Reminds Iowa Workers of Free Tax Preparation Assistance

01/21/15: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

01/06/15: iaHealthLink.gov Webpage Breach – 2014

01/02/15: More than $1.2 million in grants help Iowans following major storms

2014

12/31/14: Iowa Medicaid Saves $49.5 Million Last Year Through Program Integrity Initiative

10/17/14: Co-Oportunity Will Leave Iowa Health and Wellness Plan - All Members Will Continue to Receive Coverage 

 

08/29/14: Statement from Director Charles M. Palmer regarding the compliance reviews at Independence and Cherokee MHIs

08/28/14: New Procedure for Replacing Food Assistance Cards

08/20/14: 20th Safe Haven Baby

08/08/14: Iowa Health+ Signs ACO Agreement with Iowa Medicaid

08/08/14: Patient Who Absconded from CCUSO Program Is Apprehended

08/03/14: Patient Absconds from CCUSO Transition Release Program

07/31/14: Glenwood Takes Corrective Action Following Client Incident

07/25/14: DHS Alerts Retailers Of EBT Changes Under Farm Bill

07/22/14: Iowa Ranks Third in Kids Count Report

07/11/14: DHS Earns Food Assistance Performance Bonus

07/08/14: Medicaid Director Jennifer Vermeer Leaving DHS

07/03/14: Healthy Behaviors Pay Off for Iowa Health and Wellness Plan Members

06/30/14: Regions Become Operational Under MHDS Redesign

06/20/14: Newborn Boy Declared Safe Haven Baby

06/18/14: Broadlawns Signs ACO Agreement with Iowa Medicaid

06/16/14: DHS Continues Special Education Improvements at Eldora

06/09/14: Disaster Assistance Available for Cass, Harrison, Montgomery, Ringgold and Pottawattamie Counties

05/28/14: DHS Launch New Website

05/16/14: Iowa Health and Wellness Enrollment Tops 100,000

05/06/14: Grant Provides Employment Services and More for Noncustodial Parents

05/02/14: 18th Safe Haven Baby

04/25/14: Iowa Medicaid Makes Changes Following Mail Error, Covenant Breach Q & A

04/15/14: UPDATE: Two Eldora Students Apprehended

04/11/14: Eldora students ran from campus

04/04/14: Providers Sign ACO Agreements with Medicaid

03/27/14: New Marketplace Special Enrollment Periods Announced

03/21/14: Equal Access, Healthy Eating with Wireless EBT Project

03/19/14: Open Enrollment Ends for Marketplace, Medicaid Enrollment Continues Year-Round

03/07/14: Investigation Leads to Notification of Data Breach

02/21/14: DHS Takes Corrective Action Following Glenwood Incident

01/21/14: DHS bans use of public assistance funds at some locations

2013

12/27/13: DHS says Iowans who applied at HealthCare.gov should reapply through state

07/15/13: Public Comment Period and Public Hearing Dates for Iowa Health and Wellness Plan

06/26/13: Lost backup tape leads to records warningFAQ

05/15/13:Governor adds more counties to disaster list, information on vouchers

05/06/13: Child welfare by the numbers for 2012, one-page summaryLittle change in trends

05/03/13: Vouchers to help with Eastern Iowa storm damage

02/21/13: Iowa receives health care innovation grant