Newton forum crowd asks statehouse candidates about mental health issues

Mental health was the focus of a Newton forum Monday night featuring local candidates vying for the Iowa House and Senate.

The panel, held at the Newton DMACC’s conference center, was organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness and featured Iowa House District 29 candidates Rep. Wes Breckenridge, D-Newton, and Ann Howell, R-Colfax; Iowa House District 28 candidates, Ann Fields, D-Knoxville, and Jon Thorup, R-Knoxville; and Iowa Senate District 15 candidates Dan Nieland, D-Altoona, and Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Bondurant.

The candidates answered questions from a panel set up by Newton-area NAMI representatives, as well as answering questions from the audience. Members of the panel include Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess, Capstone Director Julie Smith, Discover Hope founder Robbie Robinson and NAMI Central Iowa representatives Kelly Kirk and Jill Clapper.

Burdess’ questions revolved around whether or not the candidates would support a beer tax to help reduce the amount of alcohol purchased by those with mental illness. Nearly every candidate implied taxes are an easy-way-out solution to a problem that needs a more specific approach.

“I like to stir up taxes,” Burdess said after the forum. “I don’t want anyone to tax my beer, but I thought it was a good question to stir things up.

“It was a proposal that was brought forward by the (Iowa) Office of Drug Control Policy and a number of other organizations last year throughout Iowa. This was just one piece of a lot of different recommendations from the prevention groups,” Burdess added.

Nunn, the Iowa House assistant majority leader, said he disagreed with any taxation plan to assist with alcohol-related issues and believes the focus should be promoting and assisting organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.

“We can’t just tax our way into a solution,” Nunn said.

Clapper listed facts to inform the candidates what mental health looks like in Iowa. The NAMI representative said there are more than 25,000 psychiatrists in the United States but fewer than 200 are in Iowa, and 65 counties in Iowa do not have a licensed psychiatrist.

“When Jill (Clapper) shared her story, it was really sobering,” Breckenridge said in an interview after the forum. “It brings into light where the state is at. It really brings to light how much we truly need to do by hearing those facts. It’s sobering, eye-opening and causes us to want to do better.”

Clapper said she prepared for the forum by researching what she like the most: facts.

“I’m constantly reading everything to learn more. I just feel it’s part of my duty as a human being to help others. If I can help somebody by telling them, ‘Hey, I’ve been there man and I’ve made it,’ then it’s a success story,” she said. “It’s sad because I don’t think they realize how low those numbers are.”

Before time ran out, two audience member questions were selected by the moderators. One of the questions revolved around Iowa’s 26th place in the nation ranking in school counselor to student ratio, and how to improve that ratio as well as employ mental health professionals.

“We have to encourage people to go to their school districts and demand staffing,” Howell said.

All six statehouse candidates will appear again at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, joining the candidates for Jasper County Board of Supervisors at Newton City Hall for the League of Women Voter’s of Jasper County Forum, sponsored by the Newton Daily News.

Election Day is Nov. 6.

Contact Orrin Shawl at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or at oshawl@newtondailynews.com