(Radio Iowa) – The head of the Office of Drug Control Policy and Prevention says his office is trying to gauge the impact of the coronavirus on drug use and treatment. Director Dale Woolery says he has heard some talk of problems. “Anecdotally we hear that with the social distancing and the stay-at-home recommendations in some cases — there is a concern that some of that isolation and other factors that are related could be a breeding ground for more substance use, substance use disorder and mental health issues,” according to Woolery.

Woolery isn’t ready to draw any conclusions yet. “It’s too early to know if it is substantiated with the data or that we have empirical evidence. But, I do hear it anecdotally and there are some indications. I think even the C-D-C has started making reference to this,” Woolery says. He says his agency is keeping an eye on the situation. “We’re actually scanning data and doing interviews to try and see what correlations there may or may not be if we can tell, between the pandemic and substance abuse disorder in Iowa,” he says, “and I know others are looking at that too. I think it’s just probably a little too early to have any definitive takeaways on that.”

Woolery says the drug abuse treatments have changed with the restrictions brought on by the pandemic. “You have a lot more therapy and substance use disorder treatment being provided via telehealth. There again — I think the jury is mainly out on how effective is that — and how does that compare with in-person treatment,” Woolery says. He says the treatment is just one of the areas where people have had to use workarounds to find a way to deliver the services during the outbreak. “The workarounds may not be as good in some cases. In other cases they may actually be better and make it easier to attend or to access something,” Woolery says. “The effectiveness though is something I think is going to take a while to kind of figure out. How effective is the tele-whatever compared to the in-person whatever.”

Woolery says their reviews and the reviews of the data by others should give some batter answers on these questions down the road.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met this (Friday) morning for their weekly session in Atlantic.  Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports during their meeting, the Board adopted a Resolution to award a bridge replacement contract to A.M. Cohron & Son Inc., in the amount of $664,562, as part of the Cass County Five-year construction plan.  Bridge #433 is located on Olive Street (Cass County Road N-16), over a creek, from Chicago Road North one-half mile. The Engineer noted it will be necessary to temporarily close certain roadways along the project route to facilitate construction.

The Board also moved to authorize Board Chair Baier to electronically sign the contracts and bonds on behalf of Cass County, through the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Doc Express system, and authorized the County Engineer to administer the terms of the contract and temporarily close certain project roadways as necessary to facilitate construction. In other business, County Veteran Affairs Executive Director Mitch Holmes gave report of 4th quarter FY20 activity. Holmes reports during the quarter, 128 veterans were assisted: Federal VA benefits and/or local general assistance.

The Supervisors discussed a clarification amendment to the contract with Cass County ISU extension for meal delivery services regarding length of contract, and agreed to amend the contract  by striking the wording: “Cass County agrees to provide the Contractor with up to $3,648 for eight weeks ($22.80/hour in reimbursement for services to not exceed $456/week),” and inserting: “Cass County agrees to provide the Contractor with a maximum of $3,648; billable monthly at a rate of $22.80/hour in reimbursement for services, not to exceed $456/week, until funds are depleted or the program is no longer needed.”

Sheriff’s Deputies in Pottawattamie County, Thursday afternoon, served a Council Bluffs man with a warrant for Assault Causing Bodily Injury or Mental Illness – without intent. 34-year old Joseph Brian Samuelson was already being held in the Pott. County Jail on other charges, when the warrant was served. He remained in the jail Friday (this) morning.

A management company based in Elkhorn, NE., is hosting a series of events at 12 of their McDonald’s locations in Nebraska and Iowa, through August 12th, as a way to say “Thank You” to teachers for all they do. Marla Snyder, the Marketing Director for Leonard Management tells KJAN News the idea to give teachers a free “Classroom Kit,” was the brainchild of company founder, Steve Leonard.

After Steve brought Marla the idea, she took it to the next stage. That includes assembling the kits for teachers as they get ready to start their school year.

(Each kit contains pencils, dry erase markers, Post-It Notes, paper, hand sanitizer, tissue, permanent markers and other items.)

Those items are all contained in a reusable plastic bag. Leonard Management staff will be on-hand at the Atlantic McDonald’s store (1510 E. 7th St.) from 1-until 4-p.m. Monday, August 3rd, to provide teachers with a free Classroom Kit filled with school supplies. Across the 12 McDonald’s restaurants the company owns, they’re donating a total of $20,000 to provide classroom supplies.

Marla Snyder says teachers can still sign up for the giveaway, but space is limited.

( To claim your Classroom kit, you’ll need a current badge or proof of school/teacher certificate, when checking-in.)

Sign-up for your teacher time slot at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040b4da8ad22a0fe3-teacher5