SF 2483 is an appropriations bill that allocates state funds to the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Health and Human Services for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The legislation provides specific funding for veterans' services, including administration and home ownership assistance, as well as programs for aging, disability, behavioral health, and public health. It also includes money for child welfare initiatives, family support programs, and mental health treatment, while repealing certain expenditure projections for child care and adoption subsidies. The bill establishes reporting requirements for the Iowa Veterans Home and directs portions of the funding toward federal matching programs and specific community capacity building efforts.
This bill establishes a dedicated fund within the Iowa state treasury to finance the construction and infrastructure improvements of state prisons. It creates two specific accounts within this fund: one for building new prisons or replacing old facilities, and another for programs aimed at reducing inmate recidivism, such as mental health care and job training. The funding for these accounts will come from fines, fees, and forfeited bail collected in criminal cases, with specific portions allocated once existing prison bonds are paid off. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Corrections to submit annual reports on the status of all infrastructure projects and directs the legislature to form a committee to study the need for additional prison capacity.
HF 2782 is a budget bill that allocates state funds to the departments of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The legislation provides specific funding for veterans' services, including the Iowa Veterans Home and a home ownership assistance program for military members. It also directs money toward aging and disability support, behavioral health treatment, and maternal care initiatives, while establishing reporting requirements for financial expenditures. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for graduate medical education and updates to various health-related programs.
HF 2292 mandates Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to double the number of inpatient psychiatric beds at each state mental health institute by 2028. The bill requires applying for a federal Medicaid waiver by July 2027 to fund this expansion, using the 2025 bed count as the baseline. It directly affects homeless individuals with mental health conditions or substance use disorders, as cited in the bill's findings linking untreated mental health to public safety concerns. The key mechanism is the Medicaid waiver process, which would allow state-funded bed increases beyond current federal restrictions. This policy change aims to expand institutional treatment capacity without specifying outcomes or advocating for particular approaches.
HF 2370 creates a confidential "green alert" system in Iowa for missing at-risk veterans, defined as those reported missing due to mental health crises, substance issues, or other well-being concerns. The system requires verification by a peace officer before activating a nonpublic alert shared only with specific agencies (like law enforcement, hospitals, and veteran support groups) to locate the veteran and provide voluntary assistance. It prohibits using the alert for arrests without independent probable cause, mandates 72-hour reviews, and penalizes false reports as a simple misdemeanor. The bill prioritizes de-escalation and trauma-informed responses while protecting veterans' privacy through strict data handling.
HF 2263 requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to establish seven statewide peer-run respite programs. These programs must provide voluntary, short-term support for individuals experiencing emotional distress, mental health crises, or "life-altering challenges" (as defined in the bill), while operating independently from medical facilities and ensuring at least 51% of each program's board consists of people with lived experience of mental health conditions or similar challenges. The bill also limits clinical mental health services to under 10% of a program's total offerings and mandates that programs cannot be located on clinical or medical facility campuses. This legislation directly affects Iowans seeking crisis support and the state agency responsible for implementing these services.
This bill establishes the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, enabling psychologists licensed in one participating state to provide telepsychology services and up to 30 days of in-person care annually in other participating states without needing separate licenses. It creates standardized rules for temporary cross-state practice, requires states to share license and disciplinary information, and ensures psychologists remain accountable under each state’s regulations. The compact directly affects licensed psychologists seeking to serve clients across state lines and their clients in participating states. It does not apply to permanent practice or psychologists already licensed in both states.
This bill modifies Iowa's subacute mental health care regulations. It requires facilities to create a resident's initial treatment plan within 24 hours of admission (replacing a prior 10-day limit), and sets strict timelines for insurance approval: 48 hours for urgent requests, 5 days for standard non-urgent requests, and 10 days for complex cases. It directs health and licensing departments to eliminate rules hindering facility expansion or access, and to ease staffing requirements for subacute facilities compared to state mental health institutes. The changes apply immediately upon enactment.
SF 2367 requires physicians in specific specialties (like family medicine, pediatrics, surgery, and others) to complete one hour of nutrition and metabolic health continuing education every four years to renew their licenses. It updates Iowa's certificate of need rules for hospitals and health facilities, adding new categories requiring approval (such as behavioral health outpatient services, organ transplants, and equipment over $1.5 million) while modifying bed capacity and equipment acquisition requirements. The bill also establishes Iowa's "Summer EBT Program" to provide nutrition assistance to children during summer months, aligning with federal guidelines for healthy food eligibility under SNAP. These changes directly affect licensed healthcare providers, hospitals, and families participating in nutrition assistance programs.
HF 2454 creates a temporary license for mental health counselors who have met all licensing requirements except the postgraduate supervised clinical experience. This allows school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to hire such temporary counselors to provide mental health services to students under a qualified supervisor. The temporary license is valid for three years and renewable, with fees set by the licensing board to cover administrative costs. Schools must ensure these counselors work under supervision as defined by the board.
