DES MOINES - The men moved from a bunkhouse in Atalissa were in some cases found to be malnourished and had dental problems, a state official told lawmakers Tuesday.

The men, who have mental retardation and are considered dependent adults, were removed from the bunkhouse in February. The state fire marshal's office shut the bunkhouse down after finding it had substandard living conditions, including boarded-up windows and no heat.

John McCalley, who is leading a task force looking into how the state can better protect dependent adults, said one of the group home employees where the men are now staying noticed the malnourishment immediately.

Eighteen of the 21 men are now in the care of Exceptional Persons Inc. in Waterloo, spread among three different homes.

McCalley said many of the men had significant dental issues that long had been neglected and are now being addressed.

Rep. Deborah Berry, D-Waterloo, expressed confidence in the men's current situation.

"I know that they are in a safe place. They are going to get the help they need," Berry said.

The men also are receiving mental health evaluations, and services are being offered to those who want to find work locally, said McCalley, who is director of the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs.

McCalley said some of the men are having issues adjusting to their new homes but that social events have been arranged so the men who lived together for many years still can see each other.

McCalley placed some of the blame for the Atalissa case on the U.S. Department of Labor.

The federal agency had been in charge of overseeing the men's employer, Henry's Turkey Service. But McCalley said the labor department didn't have the resources to inspect employers that hired workers with special needs.

"They, in fact, admitted they went an entire year without making those inspections," McCalley said.

Contact Charlotte Eby (515) 422-9061 or chareby@aol.com.