Iowa’s mental health and developmental disabilities system is fractured and over the past three years, the Legislature has been looking at making services more equitable across Iowa and addressing the ever growing costs to provide needed services.
|Iowa’s mental health and developmental disabilities system is fractured and over the past three years, the Legislature has been looking at making services more equitable across Iowa and addressing the ever growing costs to provide needed services.
Senate File 525 establishes a Legislative Interim Committee for the 2011 interim regarding mental health and disability services. The committee is charged with addressing property tax issues, devise a means of ensuring the state maintains its funding commitments for the redesigned services system, revise requirements for mental health professionals who are engaged in the involuntary commitment and examination processes, and develop legislation for amending Iowa Code references of mental retardation to use intellectual disabilities.
In addition, the interim committee must consider issues posed by the repeal of county disability services administration and funding provisions starting July 1, 2013. These repeals were part a bill adopted earlier this session and already signed into law by the Governor. If no changes are made prior to July 1, 2013, up to $125 million of county levy funds for mental health services will be gone, but counties will still be required to provide mental health services.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is directed to create advisory workgroups made up of stakeholders. The workgroup reports are due back to the Legislative Interim Committee by December 9, 2011.
Senate File 525 now goes back to the Senate for consideration of the changes made by the House.
