Healthcare (Mental Health)

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 25, 2025

HF 873: A bill for an act relating to aid, processes, services, and reimbursement for services associated with children in, adopted from, or in need of foster care.

HF 873 modifies Iowa's foster care and adoption support systems. It expands the criteria for declaring a child in need of assistance (CINA) to include serious chemical dependency treatment needs, alongside existing mental health requirements. The bill replaces the fixed 65% reimbursement rate for foster parents (based on USDA child-raising costs) with a requirement for the state to establish and periodically review foster care payment rules. It also caps state reimbursement for adoption investigations at $2,000 per pre- and post-placement check and adjusts who covers attorney fees in parental rights termination cases. These changes directly affect foster parents, adoptive families, and children in foster care or adoption proceedings.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands CINA criteria to include chemical dependency treatment, advancing healthcare access for foster children within mental health services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

Track

died · Iowa · House May 13, 2025

HF 1042: A bill for an act relating to matters under the purview of the department of health and human services, including administrative services organizations, child foster care, child and dependent adult abuse, internal audit and examination information, and the region incentive fund in the mental health and disability services regional service fund, health maintenance organization’s premium tax, and making appropriations and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.

This bill addresses various matters under the purview of the Department of Health and Human Services. It introduces new definitions related to mental health and disability services, such as "disability access point," and modifies who can serve as an advocate for involuntarily hospitalized patients, excluding certain affiliated employees. For child foster care, the bill updates terminology to explicitly include "individual licensees" and "approved kinship caregivers." These caregivers are granted decision-making authority under the "reasonable and prudent parent standard" for children in their care, and eligibility for extended foster care is updated to reflect these roles.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill updates mental health definitions, expands caregiver roles in foster care, and includes funding provisions for health services under HHS, aligning with mental health support indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 26, 2026

HF 385: A bill for an act relating to discharge of involuntarily committed persons from a facility or a hospital.

HF 385 requires hospitals and facilities treating involuntarily committed mental health patients in Iowa to implement specific discharge protocols. Before releasing a patient, facilities must refer them to an administrative services organization, assess suicide risk, provide a 15-day supply of prescribed medications (with reimbursement options if not covered), and create a detailed discharge report including care plans, medication lists, and appointment details. This bill directly affects hospitals, patients under involuntary commitment, and administrative services organizations responsible for coordinating post-discharge care. The law also mandates quarterly reports from these organizations to the state department and requires facilities to notify courts of discharges for confirmation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates mental health discharge protocols including suicide risk assessment, medication continuity, and care planning, directly strengthening patient safety and access to follow-up care in mental health services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 15, 2025

HF 58: A bill for an act relating to insurance coverage for the treatment of eating disorders.

HF 58 requires Iowa health insurance plans to cover treatment for eating disorders, directly affecting patients with conditions like anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder and their insurers. The bill mandates coverage for all services in a patient's treatment plan - including therapy, medications, hospitalization, and out-of-network care when local options are unavailable and medically necessary - without stricter copays or deductibles than for physical illnesses. It applies to most individual and group health plans starting January 1, 2026, excluding accident-only, dental, or Medicare supplement insurance. The Iowa Insurance Commissioner must create rules to enforce these requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment including therapy/hospitalization without higher copays than physical health, expanding mental health coverage and protecting patient access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicare Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 223: A bill for an act relating to mental health resources for students enrolled in public schools.

HF 223 requires Iowa public schools and accredited nonpublic schools to publish mental health resources provided by "your life Iowa" on their websites or link to those resources. It also mandates that schools partner with enrolled students to develop additional methods for increasing awareness of mental health resources and information. This applies to all school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools in Iowa. The bill creates specific, concrete requirements for resource visibility and student involvement without altering the content of mental health services.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates schools to provide mental health resources and increase awareness, directly enhancing student well-being and support systems in K-12 education, aligning with educational access and student program advancement.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates schools to publish mental health resources and partner with students for awareness, directly advancing student mental health services as specified in the bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 225: A bill for an act relating to the personal needs allowance under the medical assistance program.

HF 225 increases the monthly personal needs allowance for residents in specific Iowa facilities from $50 to $75. It directly affects individuals living in nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for intellectual disabilities or mental illness, or psychiatric medical institutions for children under Iowa's medical assistance program. The bill requires the state to supplement residents with income below $75 to reach the $75 allowance and mandates annual adjustments tied to federal cost-of-living increases for Social Security and SSI benefits, capping the allowance at $200 per month. This change aims to better cover personal expenses not covered by medical assistance.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases personal needs allowance in medical assistance program from $50 to $75, strengthening financial support for residents in healthcare facilities and advancing access to care under public health programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1457XD: Youth Services and Behavioral Health (1457XD) - Health and Human Services, Department of

This bill establishes standards for mental health care for Iowa youth under 21 with serious emotional disturbances or substance use disorders. It requires psychiatric medical institutions to develop individualized medical care plans based on comprehensive evaluations and provide team-based care led by qualified mental health professionals. The law clarifies that medically necessary inpatient services for these youth cannot be denied by insurers as "custodial care," ensuring coverage for treatment. These requirements directly affect youth receiving care in psychiatric facilities, the facilities themselves, and health insurers covering such services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to cover medically necessary youth mental health inpatient care, preventing denial as 'custodial care' - directly expands coverage and protects patient rights for mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 18, 2025

HF 443: A bill for an act relating to health insurance coverage for assertive community treatment services.

HF 443 requires health insurance plans in Iowa to cover assertive community treatment services for dependents who receive care from providers enrolled in the state's medical assistance program (chapter 249A). This applies to most individual and group health insurance plans, including hospital and medical service contracts, effective January 1, 2026. The bill does not cover specialized insurance like dental, vision, workers' compensation, or short-term medical plans. It mandates coverage for these specific mental health services to ensure dependents have access to community-based treatment through state-qualified providers. The Iowa Insurance Commissioner may create rules to implement this requirement.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates health insurance coverage for assertive community treatment (mental health services), expanding access for dependents under medical assistance program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 20, 2025

SF 351: A bill for an act relating to mental health support for corrections officers, and making appropriations.

This bill requires Iowa's Department of Corrections to provide mental health support for state corrections officers. It mandates hiring mental health liaisons for each correctional facility (or covering multiple facilities), implementing an annual 5-10 question mental health screening survey to identify severe conditions like schizophrenia or depression, and establishing outreach teams to refer officers needing care to local providers. The bill also requires the department to provide one annual, confidential, employer-funded counseling session per officer and appropriates $400,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 to cover liaison salaries, screening technology, and outreach team costs. These changes aim to improve officer mental health, reduce turnover, and support workplace well-being.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates appropriations for mental health support services, directly increasing state spending on public safety personnel through new funding allocations.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates mental health support for corrections officers, strengthening corrections system by addressing staff well-being, a direct component of criminal justice.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health screenings, liaisons, and outreach for corrections officers, directly expanding access to mental healthcare services within correctional facilities.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates mental health screenings, liaisons, and outreach for corrections officers, directly enhancing workplace safety and worker well-being per Labor & Employment standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Mental Health Public Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 28, 2025

HF 665: A bill for an act relating to mental health services at public institutions of higher education.

HF 665 requires Iowa's public colleges and universities to enhance mental health support for students. It mandates annual mental health awareness sessions during orientation, integration of mental health topics into coursework, and publication of campus mental health resources online. The bill also requires institutions to implement an annual online screening tool for mental health conditions (starting three years after enactment), provide mental health first aid training for resident assistants and advisors, establish peer support programs using student peers, and form partnerships with local mental health providers for referrals. These measures directly affect all students at Iowa's public institutions of higher education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates enhanced mental health support in higher education, including orientation sessions, curriculum integration, and screening tools, strengthening student well-being and access.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates enhanced mental health support in colleges, including screenings, training, and resources - directly advancing mental health services as part of healthcare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Mental Health

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