The recent merger of two Iowa departments may impact local county departments.

The Department of Public Health and the Department of Human Services have combined to become the Health and Human Services Department. Greene County Public Health Director Becky Wolf shares how this merger has impacted them locally.

“We really have not seen an impact in our department locally. We’ve not had to do anything different with our budget at this point, we’ve not lost any services or resources, and we’ve not had to reduce or eliminate any local programs.” 

Wolf notes the overall goal of putting these two state departments together is to provide a one door entry for the people that are served to create better streamlining of services.

“Using your resources to the best of your ability, right? Being good stewards of the dollar, that kind of thing, and making sure there’s consistency and not duplication, not that there was, but that’s always your goal.” 

Wolf hasn’t heard of either department having to reduce or eliminate services following the merger last month.