Safe Communities
- Seniors, adults with disabilities and those at risk of abuse have safe quality living options in their communities
Crimes with victims over 65
Dependent adult abuse
Children who do not re-enter Foster Care
Drug Endangered Children
Homes rehabbed for the elderly
New housing for persons with disabilities
Nursing home revisits
Facilities for persons with developmental disabilities
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MEASURE:
The rate of reported violent crimes and crimes involving fraud or deception with victims 65 and over.
Data Source: Department of Public Safety
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Why
this is important:
This measure tells us whether our elderly
population is safe from the types of crimes that
target the elderly. Elderly persons are
especially vulnerable when they are the victims
of violence. Crimes involving fraud, forgery
or deception frequently target the elderly. An
example of this, which is a problem nationwide,
is home repair fraud.
What we're doing about this:
The Intelligence Bureau of the Iowa
Department of Public Safety and the Consumer
Protection Division of the Attorney General's
Office cooperate in sharing information
regarding perpetrators of home repair fraud.
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MEASURE:
Number of cases of Dependent
Adult Abuse that have been confirmed
through investigation.
Data Source: Department of Inspections & Appeals, Health
Facilities Division
NOTE: These are the cases reported that, after investigation,
met the legal definition
of dependent adult abuse.
Updated 11/21/06
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Why
this is important:
The Department of Inspections & Appeals (DIA) is responsible
for dependent adult abuse investigations in licensed health
care facilities (nursing homes). Measuring the number of
confirmed/founded cases provides critical information to
state agencies, providers, consumers and communities for
developing effective strategies to address dependent adult
abuse in Iowa.
What we're doing about this:
The Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), in cooperation
with other state agencies, consumers, advocates, providers
and families, continues to work toward ensuring health
care facilities (nursing homes) have properly trained caregivers,
conduct criminal history and dependent adult abuse record
checks on prospective employees, and meet state and federal
health, safety and security requirements. DIA continues
to monitor trends.
The number of confirmed/founded cases has remained relatively stable.
DIA continues to provide ongoing training
and feedback to surveyors to ensure they
understand and appropriately analyze the
elements of dependent adult abuse.
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MEASURE:
Percentage of children who do
not re-enter foster care.
Data Source: Department
of Human Services
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Why
this is important:
This information tells us how successful we are in returning children to their families. When a child must be removed from the home, the state seeks to safety reunite the child with the family as soon as possible. Yet returning children too quickly or not providing sufficient support to the family after the child is returned home, may increase the risk of harm and re-entry into care. The goal is to reunite children with their families as soon as possible, while having as few re-entries as possible.
What we're doing about this:
Through the Better Results for Kids child welfare redesign, we are doing several things to reduce foster care re-entries. We are improving assessments and family engagement to ensure we focus on the underlying issues that place the child at risk and address the real needs of families; using family team meetings which involve the child's parents and other persons important to the family to prepare for and identify supports needed when the child returns home; making services more flexible so that we can meet the individual needs of children and families; implementing trial home visits to ensure supports are provided to families when children first return home; and paying providers for achieving outcomes, such as reducing foster care re-entry, rather than just providing services.
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MEASURE:
Drug Endangered Children: Iowa's
children are in safe supportive
families, schools and communities.
Data Source: Department of Human Services/Prevent Child Abuse
Iowa
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Why
this is important:
The increasing prevalence of methamphetamine
and meth lab incidents in Iowa, combined with
other illegal drugs, is exposing large numbers
of innocent children to toxic - and potentially
- explosive situations. During 2004, there were
1,713 confirmed child abuse cases involving the
presence of illegal drugs in a child's body.
Two-thirds of these children were under the age
of six and nearly one-fourth were under the age
of one. During this same time period, there were
also 299 confirmed child abuse cases involving
meth manufacturing in the presence of a minor.
These children are often neglected, abused and
face a host of medical and long-term developmental
risks when exposed to toxic drugs. They must
be appropriately decontaminated, tested, given
the necessary care for their well0being, and
placed in a safe and health environment.
What we're doing about this:
A Drug Endangered Children Program is being
implemented to break the cycle of neglect and
abuse associated with substance abusing caregivers.
This multi-discipline initiative leverages the
resources of the criminal justice system,
human services, juvenile court, public health
system, and the medical community to address
the safety and well being of children, and hold
neglectful and abusive parents accountable. As
appropriate, the program also assists families
in obtaining substance abuse treatment and other
types of family based assistance. |
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MEASURE:
For those 64 and older, the number of new housing units and homes rehabilitated to safe, quality standards each year.
Data Source: Department of Economic Development
Updated 2/23/07
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Why
this is important:
Iowa has an increasing proportion of people who
are aged 60 and over. Most older Iowans own
their own homes. For those on a fixed income,
routine maintenance may become difficult and the
expense of paying others may be too great a
financial burden.
What we're doing about this:
Each year of a portion of federal resources
received by the state are dedicated to building
new units of housing and making sure homes of
low and moderate income persons are rehabilitate
to safe and affordable housing standards.
Because the population of Iowa is aging many of
the projects directly benefit those 60 and
over.
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MEASURE:
Number of additional housing
units constructed/available to
persons with disabilities.
Data Source: Iowa Finance Authority and Department of Economic
Development
Updated 11/21/06
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Why
this is important:
There is a significant housing need for disabled Iowans with extremely low incomes.
There is also a shortage of physically accessible units in Iowa.
What we're doing about this:
During the spring of 2003, the Vilsack-Pedersen
administration established a goal of establishing
1,000 new housing units for persons with disabilities
during the remainder of their term. The Iowa
Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of
Economic Development are working to increase
the supply of housing units for persons with
disabilities through housing programs such as
the Multifamily Housing Loan, Low-Income Housing
Tax Credit, IDED Housing Fund, the State Housing
Trust Fund, Iowa Able Foundation for Home Modification
Loan Program, Shelter Plus Care, etc. In FY06,
the 1,000 unit target was exceeded by 82 units.
As of 9-30-06, the cumulative number of units is 1,262 which includes
the Housing Opportunities for Persons with
Aids (HOPWA) units which were not previously
included.
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MEASURE:
Percentage of licensed/certified health care facilities
requiring a second revisit.
Data Source: Department of Inspections & Appeals, Health
Facilities Division
Updated 11/21/06
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Why
this is important:
This measure shows, in part, the compliance level of facilities. Compliance is
an indicator of quality resident care. Even if a facility has violations, if
they timely correct them, multiple reinspections are unnecessary. This allows
department
inspection staff to focus on other routine inspections and on complaint investigations.
What we're doing about this:
Percentage may vary due to compliance history
of facilities inspected during the reporting
period. The department continues to monitor the
trends for this indicator.
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MEASURE:
Percentage of facilities serving
developmentally disabled persons
that are free of violations.
Data Source: Department of Inspections & Appeals, Health
Facilities Division
Updated 11/21/06
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Why
this is important:
This measure shows, in part, the compliance level of facilities serving persons
with developmental disabilities. Compliance is an indicator of quality resident
care. For a facility to have no violations is a good indicator of the quality
care and services the residents are receiving.
What we're doing about this:
Percentage may vary due to compliance history
and the specific facilities inspected during
the reporting period. The department continues
to monitor the trends for this indicator. The
department formally recognizes facilities with
violation-free inspections by sending a letter
of recognition from the director to the administrator.
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