SF 402 (LSB 2357SV (1) 86)

SENATE FILE 402

BY  COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 308)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the state mental health institutes at Clarinda and Mount Pleasant.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  CLARINDA AND MOUNT PLEASANT MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTES.
   1.  The department of human services shall accept all eligible patients into the state mental health institutes at Mount Pleasant and Clarinda through June 30, 2015.
   2.  The department of human services shall not close the state mental health institutes at Mount Pleasant and Clarinda after June 30, 2015, until a suitable and appropriate, comprehensive and long-term care and treatment plan is developed by the department of human services and approved by the general assembly. Until such a comprehensive plan is developed by the department of human services and approved by the general assembly, the department shall ensure that the diagnostic and treatment service needs of patients served through the acute inpatient psychiatric mental health and geropsychiatric programs at the state mental health institute at Clarinda and through the psychiatric and substance abuse recovery programs operated at the state mental health institute at Mount Pleasant continue to be met at those institutes.
   3.  In developing a comprehensive plan pursuant to subsection 1, the department of human services shall work with key stakeholders including but not limited to the departments of public health and inspections and appeals, members of the general assembly, psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health and drug abuse counselors, nurses, activity specialists, social workers, and residential treatment workers to ensure all of the following:
   a.  That each and every patient currently being served at the state mental health institutes at Clarinda and Mount Pleasant continues to be served during any transition period without sacrificing access to and quality of treatment and care.
   b.  That clinical and professional expertise currently in place at the state mental health institutes at Clarinda and Mount Pleasant relating to serious mental illness including geropsychiatric and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders is shared with other state mental health institutes and community-based providers through professional training and case consultation.
   c.  That recruitment, training, and staffing of direct health care workers to serve as personal attendants, respite care workers, home health aides, and a wide variety of other direct support staff in both institutional and community-based settings are adequately supported and compensated.
   d.  That appropriate funding, including Medicaid reimbursement methods and transitional funding, is in place prior to implementation of the comprehensive plan.
   4.  The department of human services shall be responsible for identifying and securing appropriate in-state placements for patients currently being served at the state mental health institutes at Clarinda and Mount Pleasant equivalent to the level of care each patient received through June 30, 2015.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill prohibits the department of human services from closing the state mental health institutes at Mount Pleasant and Clarinda until a suitable and appropriate comprehensive and long-term care and treatment plan is developed by the department and approved by the general assembly to ensure that the diagnostic and treatment service needs of patients served through the acute inpatient psychiatric mental health and geropsychiatric programs at the state mental health institute at Clarinda and the psychiatric and substance abuse recovery programs operated at the state mental health institute at Mount Pleasant are met. The bill requires the department to work with key stakeholders to ensure that each and every patient currently being served at the state mental health institutes at Clarinda and Mount Pleasant continue to be served during any transition period without sacrificing access to and quality of treatment and care; that expertise relating to serious mental illness including geropsychiatric and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders is shared with other state mental health institutions and community-based providers; that recruitment, training, and staffing of direct health care workers are adequately supported and compensated; and that appropriate funding, including Medicaid reimbursement methods and transitional funding, is in place prior to implementation of the comprehensive plan.