(DES MOINES, Iowa) – The Department of Human Services (DHS) and University of Iowa Health Care are partnering to improve support of Iowans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). The newly signed agreement includes the creation of a faculty position within the university who will serve as the new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Intellectual Disabilities at the Glenwood Resource Center (GRC). GRC’s new CMO will serve as the chief physician for the center’s residents and will be a member of a multidisciplinary team of therapists, psychologists, and Qualified Intellectual Disability Professionals (QIDPs). They will also be responsible for expanding the capacity of the community system of care to better serve Iowans with IDDs.

DHS Director Kelly Garcia said Thursday, “While we have started the transition to a community-based model of care, there are a number of elderly residents at GRC who have lived there for decades and have complex health conditions that could make transferring to a community placement difficult. To give these residents access to the high-quality care they deserve, we are seeking a CMO who is highly qualified and passionate about serving individuals with IDDs. Our agreement with UI Health Care allows us to tap into its expertise at recruiting exceptional physician leaders and maintaining high standards of quality control.”

Kevin Glenn, MD, clinical associate professor of internal medicine at UI Carver College of Medicine, is the chair of the search committee for GRC’s new CMO.  Glenn says “As the state’s academic medical center, UI Health Care is committed to providing high-quality care for all Iowans, including the state’s most vulnerable populations. We are thankful for the opportunity to help DHS fill this important position. This collaborative agreement will provide the new CMO with access to a breadth of resources to support their success.”

Health officials say this significant new collaboration and partnership will provide the new GRC CMO with access to medical experts in every specialty, infection and quality control support, ethics consultations, and more. It may also help Iowa develop better pipelines for future recruitment of quality medical and other health care providers, particularly in the public sector. Cory Turner, MHDS Division Administrator for Facilities, says “Our continued and evolving partnership with the university has been vital to the stabilization of numerous services within DHS’ Mental Health and Disability Services division. This is yet another example of our collaboration built on a foundation of trust and rooted in clinical expertise that ensures Iowans, wherever they reside, receive the best care possible.”

University of Iowa Health Care is actively recruiting for the Glenwood Medical Director position. A detailed job description and position duties is available here. Marsha Edgington, the GRC superintendent, will work directly with UI Health Care to establish day-to-day connection with DHS once the candidate is on board.