DES MOINES – Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice, Tuesday, said it found reasonable cause that conditions at Glenwood Resource Center violated the 14th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. The DOJ released the findings of its investigation into Glenwood, which stated that experiments were conducted on residents without their consent.

FILE – This Dec. 19, 2019, file photo, shows the entrance to the Glenwood Resource Center campus in Glenwood, Iowa. In a report released Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, the U.S. Justice Department has found that Glenwood Resource Center, the Iowa state-run care center for people with intellectual disabilities, likely violated the constitutional rights of residents by subjecting them to human experiments, some of which were deemed dangerous. (Kelsey Kremer/The Des Moines Register via AP, File)

Experiments conducted at Glenwood included overhydrating residents, which the department said caused harm. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, with the Civil Rights Division, said, “Individuals with disabilities are not human guinea pigs, and like all persons, they should never be subject to bizarre and deviant pseudo-medical ‘experiments’ that injure them.”

According to the DOJ, Glenwood residents were subject to inadequate physical and behavioral health care, with few safety or oversight measures. The department also noted severe deficiencies in oversight and quality management at both Glenwood and the Iowa Department of Human Services. The DOJ said it is considering whether the Glenwood and Woodward resource centers violated rights under Title 11 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Gov. Kim Reynolds released, Tuesday issued a statement on the completed DOJ Investigation into Glenwood Resource Center:  “What happened at the Glenwood Resource Center was unconscionable and unacceptable. Under Director Garcia’s leadership at DHS, we’ve fully cooperated with the investigation and I commend her for immediately digging in to assess the situation. I am committed to bringing all the tools and state resources needed to address the challenges at the facility. The families and loved ones remain in my thoughts as this likely brings up very difficult and strong emotions.”

Upon learning of the DOJ Investigation, Gov. Reynolds instructed DHS Director Kelly Garcia to cooperate and assist with any investigation. DHS went on to conduct a review and fact-finding effort to identify issues and begin making changes.

U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday night, issued a joint statement regarding the DOJ findings:  “The findings of this investigation into the Glenwood Resource Center are sickening and intolerable. Our hearts break for the families and loved ones who have been directly impacted by this tragic news. We appreciate Governor Reynolds’ responsiveness to this situation at the state level, and in the Senate we will continue to work on behalf of all Iowans, including those with disabilities, to ensure folks have the care and support they need.”