Iowa Department of Human Rights Newsletter

iowa department of human rights

February 3, 2023


The Iowa Department of Human Rights (DHR) brings strength to Iowa's rich heritage.  Our three divisions - Community Action Agencies, Community Advocacy and Services, and Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning - work to reduce cultural, social, and economic barriers to opportunities for Iowans to succeed.



Notice of Public Hearing

Weatherization Assistance Program
February 9, 2023, at 8:30 AM.

Iowans have an opportunity to inspect and comment on Iowa's Weatherization Assistance Program proposed Program Year 2023 State Plan.  The program reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, while ensuring their health and safety. 

To view the notice with information on the comment period, public hearing, and draft plan, visit https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa/weatherization.


We are hiring!

The Department of Human Rights, Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning is seeking candidates for a Justice Systems Analyst position.  Justice Systems Analysts conduct a variety of high level justice-related research, evaluation, and data analysis of criminal and juvenile justice practices, policies, and services.  The application period closes February 8, 2023.

For details, visit the State of Iowa Careers website:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/iowa/jobs/3887150-0/justice-systems-data-analyst.


February is Black History Month 

Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week", and later as "Black History Month." Although black history itself in America, dates as far back as colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that Black History gained prominence in historical texts.

There are many ways you can observe Black History Month in Iowa including: 

For more resources and information visit: 

https://humanrights.iowa.gov/cas/saa/african-american-culture-history


Latino Education Summit

It's not too late to register for the first ever Latino Education Summit taking place on March 3 at Indian Hills Community College. To register, click on this link https://bit.ly/3h9tZXQ or click on the image below to be taken to the registration page. 

For more information or questions, please contact Sonia Reyes at Sonia.Reyes@iowa.gov

Latino Education Summit

Refugee Community Services RFP Workshop

The Iowa Department of Human Rights is hosting a proposal development workshop for people and organizations interested in submitting a proposal for the Refugee Community Services Request for Proposals (RFP) (Bid Number REF-24-001).  

The goal of this workshop is to provide information and assistance for people and organizations that may have less experience in submitting proposals to state government.  In the workshop, we will cover a number of topics including:

  • How to develop a well written proposal that addresses the key elements outlined in the RFP and also meets the needs of your organization’s clients.
  • How to identify and quantify your budget needs and develop a budget within your proposal submission and more.

When:  February 16, 2023 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 pm 

Where: Lucas State Office Building on the 2nd floor

To reserve your spot, email Maria Guevara at maria.guevara@iowa.gov by 12:00 pm February 13, 2023.  In your email, please include the names of the person or people who will be attending.


FTC Fraud and Scam Advice in 12 Languages

Do you know how to spot and avoid a scam?  Fraud affects every community, and it’s not unusual for scammers to run their scam in the language you speak at home.  According to the FTC, scammers can target people new to U.S. systems and culture.  The FTC advises people to learn to spot some of the scams related to looking for a job, going through the immigration process, or just figuring out how things work.

Now, the FTC has information in a dozen languages to help you spot, avoid, and report those scams at ftc.gov/languages. You’ll find info in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, Hmong, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Ukrainian. 



Are there other resources we should know about? Let us know.

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, click here or navigate to the "Manage Subscriptions" section below.

Iowa Department of Human Rights
Lucas State Office Building
321 E 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-242-5640 or 1-800-351-4659
Contact Us Form