• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Politics / Govt / Governor signs bill to help parents of mentally ill

Governor signs bill to help parents of mentally ill

May 5, 2005 By admin

Iowa’s governor has signed a bill into law that will help parents who’re finding it hard to pay for the meds a mentally ill child needs. In many instances, parents in that situation have been forced to give up custody of their kid so the child would be a ward of the state and the state would pay for the child’s medications and counseling. Susan Benson-Blaine of Harlan fought to keep her son at home rather than give him up to the state. Colton, who is now 14, is bipolar and has some anxiety disorders. She convinced state officials to provide her the financial help to pay for her son’s medications and counseling without giving up her parental rights. So what was her reacton when Benson-Blaine was told she should give up her son? Benson-Blaine says she got very angry, and decided it wasn’t right. She believes her son would have gotten worse if he had been put in an institution. “I just decided I’m fighting for this one, and luckily I won,” Benson-Blaine says. Benson-Blaine got emotional when talking about the bill. “I hope it helps a lot of families like us,” Benson-Blaine said. “Thank you.” Benson-Blaine was by the governor’s side Thursday, holding a picture of her son, as Vilsack signed the bill into law. Representative Lisa Heddens, a Democrat from Ames, is a social worker who says the issue movtivated her to run for the House. “I’ve been listening to families for probably three-and-a-half, four years, listening to their stories about how they had to relinquish custody in order to access services,” Heddens says. “It really became my drive into politics to rectify the situation.”

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Politics / Govt

Featured Stories

Final employee who was there at the launch of the Iowa Lottery to retire

No more USPS mail in Iowa prisons; inmates to get copies of mail

State officials warn of influx of fake prescription drugs laced with fentanyl

‘Brain-eating amoeba’ discovered in Taylor County lake

Cedar Rapids therapist’s relationship with student leads to years in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Hutchinson calls Iowa State a perfect fit

Northern Iowa’s Farley touts new practice facility

First minor league game gets things started tonight at Field of Dreams site

Knoxville set to host sprint car racing’s biggest event

Iowa State basketball builds on its identity

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC