Ernst makes two Creston stops during 99-county tour

On Wednesday, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, visited Union County as part of a 99-county tour.

In Creston, she stopped at the Southern Prairie YMCA for a public tour and discussion on health, and then she visited Wellman Dynamics for a private tour.

“There is a huge push for health and wellness initiatives now and really focusing on preventative measures, so I wanted to hear from the folks on the ground here – the things they think are exciting and the things we can do better,” Ernst said. “At Wellman Dynamics, I wanted to thank the employees for what they do. These (employees) may not see it every day on the floor of the shop, but what they do impacts everyone.”

Opioid abuse

At the YMCA, Ernst first took a tour of the facility, led by Keith Worland, executive director. She then led a round-table discussion about health and wellness with YMCA staff, Southwestern Community College representatives and members of the community.

“What I’d like to focus on today is health and wellness and where we can improve the health aspect, whether it’s through the insurance channels, hospitals or local clinics, and what ideas exist out there to do better for our rural population,” Ernst said.

She first mentioned the nationwide issue of opioid abuse.

“There is a huge problem coming from the coasts with opioid abuse, and we see it filtering across the United States,” Ernst said. “The number of deaths every day from opioid overdoses is staggering. The more I’m out about in Iowa, and I visit with our local hospitals, sheriff’s departments (and) law enforcement, they are seeing it here in Iowa as well.”

In seeking to alleviate the problem, the U.S. Senate passed legislation a couple weeks ago.

"It's the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), and it really (does) focus on opioid abuse," Ernst said. "But it is about educating the public as well as law enforcement and emergency responders on how to deal with drug overdoses, how to deal with opioids."

Ernst said about 80 percent of those who start abusing opioids and using other drugs, like heroin, develop the addiction through a prescription drug like a painkiller.

“Out on the street, one pill will sell for $80 ... They buy those pills, and then what they’re finding is heroin is much more readily available and is much, much cheaper,” Ernst said. “So, for the same effect of an $80 pill, they can spend $5 on a pop of heroin.”

CARA seeks to advance treatment and prevention measures intended to lessen prescription opioid and heroin abuse, including evidence-based interventions for treatment of addiction and prevention of overdose deaths.

“It’s a good bill. We’ll see it move forward – no doubt that this will be signed by the president,” Ernst said. “It is a big issue, and it’s destroying families all across the nation. This has been a good start to the year (with) great bipartisan work.”

Mental health

Ernst’s other main point of interest was mental health.

“(We) are really working on a number of mental health access bills, which is a passion for me,” Ernst said. “We know we’re struggling here in Iowa with access to mental health support. Every other state is exactly like Iowa.”

With younger generations being so different from older generations, Ernst said there needs to be a shift in the way mental health is approached. She mentioned the importance of teaching younger people how to deal with stress in healthy ways.

“In a nutshell, these unhealthy behaviors (are) how we cope with stress, whether it’s tobacco, alcohol, drugs, eating,” said Joan Gallagher with Taylor County Public Health. “So, we (should) get at the younger generation to learn to cope with stress in healthier ways, which involves exercise and good eating.”

Ernst agreed with Gallagher: “That might be part of the resiliency problem we see in this younger generation. It’s very different than when (I) was younger, and we had different habits. Our family structures have changed very much as well.”

Lynn Irr, YMCA instructor, further spoke to the importance of teaching younger people to cope with stress. Irr explained many health issues, both mental and physical, can be prevented by making healthier choices.

“Stress is the No. 1 reason people go to see a doctor,” Irr said. “The No. 1 reason our economy is suffering is health care entitlements. Can we not see as a country what we have to lose by not figuring out how (to be) healthy?”

Ernst said she, too, “preaches prevention.”

“Why do we wait until something is already a problem, and then we spend not only individual but taxpayer dollars as well trying to recover from something that has happened and now has a lifetime impact?” Ernst said. “It is much better to do the prevention ... and (encourage) people in healthy lifestyles rather than them putting money aside after they’re sick.”

Wellman Dynamics

After her stop at the YMCA, Ernst went to Wellman Dynamics for a tour. She chose to visit Wellman’s, in part, because representatives from The Boeing Company were also visiting.

A majority of Wellman’s employees gathered for the presentation, which began with words of praise to the workers from Col. Jeffrey Hager, project manager for the Apache attack helicopters program. Wellman’s partners with Boeing in making aircraft equipment for the U.S. military.

“I wanted to let you all know what good the transmission is doing in this aircraft,” Hager said. “The aircraft flies further, faster and higher than any other Apache previously that we have produced. And really, a lot of that comes down to the main transmission.”

Before taking a tour of Wellman’s, Ernst also spoke to the group of employees. As a veteran herself, Ernst spoke about the necessity of work done by people like Wellman’s employees, who have a hand in ensuring U.S. soldiers can do their jobs safely.

“When I was (in the National Guard), we deployed to Kuwait and Iraq,” Ernst said. “While we were on the road, one thing that made us feel secure when we ran those routes into Iraq was the fact that we did have air cover. We always knew if there was an incident on the road, there would be a response coming from the air. That’s what all of you are a part of through the Apache program.”

Ernst concluded by thanking the Wellman’s employees.

“Manning, training and equipping our force is very important in making sure ... our men and women are one step ahead of our adversaries,” Ernst said. “Everything you do is impacting our forces, whether they’re the aviators or they’re on the ground. Keep up the great work; we need you.”