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U.S. Sen. Harkin: $5.2 million in federal aid
6/24/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 24, 2009

Contact: Harkin Press Office

202-224-3254

HARKIN ANNOUNCES $5.2 MILLION IN FEDERAL AID FOR JUSTICE AND SCIENCE PROGRAMS ACROSS IOWA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that he worked to secure a total of $5.2 million in funding for projects contained in the Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill. The measure passed the Appropriations subcommittee today and will now be considered by the full committee. It will then need to be approved by both the full House and Senate before it becomes law. Harkin is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee.

“These funds are critical for both law enforcement officials fighting crime and those who fall victim to crime. Nothing is more important than keeping our communities safe and this funding will go a long way toward that effort,” said Harkin. “Iowa is also the home to many cutting edge science and education programs and these dollars will go a long ways towards research to further our state and the country.”

Details of the funding are below.

$1,200,000- Jail-Based Substance Abuse Treatment: This funding is to continue jail-based meth treatment in Polk, Scott and Story County. This effective program targets drug treatment services to early, non-violent offenders before they reach the state prison system and provides both in-jail and follow-up treatment with an average of one year in treatment. Results to date show that 6 months after completion of treatment, 77 percent have not used illegal drugs and 93 percent have not been re-arrested.

$300,000- Des Moines Court Team for Maltreated Infants and Toddlers (Zero To Three): Due to the meth epidemic in Iowa, the rate of victimization amongst children birth to three is over 30 per 1,000 compared to the national average of just 7.5 per 1,000. A recent study also found that meth usage or exposure was a factor in over 50 percent of child neglect cases. Funding will allow continuation of an integrated community program to provide better care and outcomes for infants and toddlers in the child welfare system.

$400,000- Residential Methamphetamine Treatment in South Western Iowa Program: The lack of family based residential treatment programs in southwestern Iowa is a major detriment to effectively treating addiction among women. Funding will support the Heartland Family Services, which is the only provider that allows children to remain on-site with their mothers during meth treatment. The program offers women an interim residential treatment service, and at the same time allows them to continue parenting their children.

$300,000- Iowa Legal Aid Health and Law Project: Particularly for low-income individuals, access to legal assistance is often necessary to “treat” health care issues. For example, victims of domestic violence often seek medical attention as a result of abuse. Individuals who live in substandard housing often need the assistance of lawyers to address housing problems, including lack of utilities, lead paint or environmental issues that impact a person’s health. Attorneys are necessary in getting disability benefits and medical care through Medicaid and Medicare. Federal funds are used to help coordinate with community health centers so that the legal and medical communications collaborate to serve our most vulnerable Iowans. Last year, federal funds enabled Iowa Legal Aid to close over 500 cases, over 330 of which involved children.

$500,000- Drug Intercept Squads (DIS): Iowa has been successful in reducing in-state home-made meth labs. Nevertheless, Iowa continues to have a meth problem, specifically because of drugs smuggled in from Mexico and the southwest U.S. Most of the drugs entering Iowa, including as much as 85% of methamphetamine, are hidden inside vehicles using the interstate highway system. This funding will allow Iowa law enforcement to increase the seizure of illicit drugs traveling on major transportation pipelines and arrest participants in large scale international drug distribution networks.

$700,000- National Institute for Early Math and Science Education: Iowa shares in the national problem with the need for high quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers at the K-12 levels. Funding will continue support for the National Institute for Early Math and Science Education (NIEMSE) at the University of Northern Iowa, that brings together early education and STEM educators to focus research and dissemination efforts to improve mathematics and science education in the early years. Outreach efforts will target curriculum and professional development for teachers of children birth to three.

$1,000,000- Forensic Science Testing and Evaluation Laboratory: The Midwest Forensics Resource Center is a coalition of state crime labs, federal agencies, the Department of Energy’s Ames laboratory and other departments at Iowa State University. The consortium identifies effective methods and evaluates emerging technology for improving forensic science within the justice system and seeks to improve the availability, quantity and quality of forensics training in rural and under-served areas.

$250,000- Transitional Mental Health Reentry Program: Approximately one-third of Iowa’s inmate population is mentally ill. Almost all of these offenders are eventually placed on parole and returned to the community. Federal funds will be used to expand the Transitional Mental Health Reentry program in Iowa, which has succeeded in decreasing recidivism rates.

$150,000- Drug Endangered Children (DEC): Many Iowan children are involuntarily exposed to illegal drug use, trafficking, and manufacturing by their parents or primary caregivers. A need exists in Iowa to identify and remove these children from abusive situations, provide them treatment services, and place them in safe homes. Funding will create 5 new DEC teams and sustain 19 existing teams.

$200,000- Internet-Scale Event and Attack Generation Environment (ISEAGE): The ISEAGE at Iowa State University is a first-of-its kind facility dedicated to creating a virtual Internet for the purpose of researching, designing and testing cyber defense mechanisms. Real cyber attacks are played out against real equipment in a controlled environment. ISEAGE will create new tools and methods to support law enforcement.

$200,000- National Training Center in Sioux City – Law Enforcement Training in Methamphetamine Related Enforcement: The National Training Center provides methamphetamine related training to law enforcement officials. To date over 21,000 officials from 40 states have taken advantage of the training offered at the training center.

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