Print
House File 273 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the term brain health.
2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 225C.1, subsection 1, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
31. The general assembly finds that services to persons
4with mental illness, an intellectual disability disabilities,
5developmental disabilities, or brain injury injuries, or
6brain illnesses are provided in many parts of the state by
7highly autonomous community-based service providers working
8cooperatively with state and county officials. However, the
9general assembly recognizes that heavy reliance on property tax
10funding for mental health and intellectual disability services
11has enabled many counties to exceed minimum state standards
12for the services resulting in an uneven level of services
13around the state. Consequently, greater efforts should be
14made to ensure close coordination and continuity of care for
15those persons receiving publicly supported disability services
16in Iowa. It is the purpose of this chapter to continue and
17to strengthen the services to persons with disabilities now
18available in the state of Iowa, to make disability services
19conveniently available to all persons in this state upon a
20reasonably uniform financial basis, and to assure the continued
21high quality of these services.
22 Sec. 2. Section 225C.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
23following new subsection:
24 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. a. The general assembly finds that
25to reduce the stigma associated with brain health disease and
26brain illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain health
27diagnosis and treatment, the terms “brain health” or “brain
28illness” may be used synonymous with the terms “mental health”,
29“mental illness”, and “behavioral health” to allow for more
30preventative and earlier treatments of those Iowans with brain
31health issues.
32b. The recognition of the term “brain health” does not
33replace or alter the terms “behavioral health”, “mental health”,
34or “mental illness” as those terms relate to medical billing,
35insurance regulation, or state professional licensure.
-1-1 Sec. 3. Section 225C.2, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
2following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 1A. “Brain health” means all aspects of
4the brain impacted by biological, neurological, and physical
5characteristics of the brain affecting mood and behavior.
6 Sec. 4. Section 135.11, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
7following new subsection:
8 NEW SUBSECTION. 29. Recognize the term “brain health”,
9as defined in section 225C.1, as a term that mental health
10providers may use in matters related to mental health, mental
11illness, and behavioral health. The recognition of “brain
12health” shall not replace or alter the terms “mental health”,
13“mental illness”, or “behavioral health” as those terms relate
14to medical billing, insurance regulation, or state professional
15licensure.
16EXPLANATION
17The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
18the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
19This bill relates to the term “brain health”.
20The bill includes brain illnesses in the legislative
21findings relating to services to persons with mental illness,
22an intellectual disability, developmental disabilities, or
23brain injury in Code chapter 225C (mental health and disability
24services). The bill provides that the general assembly finds
25that to reduce the stigma associated with brain health disease
26and brain illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain
27health diagnosis and treatment, the terms “brain health” or
28“brain illness” may be used synonymous with the terms “mental
29health” and “mental illness” to allow for more preventative and
30earlier treatments of those Iowans with brain health issues.
31This recognition of the term “brain health” does not replace
32the terms “behavioral health”, “mental health”, or “mental
33illness” as those terms relate to medical billing, insurance
34regulation, or state professional licensure.
35The bill adds to the duties of the department of health and
-2-1human services the duty to recognize the term “brain health” as
2a term that mental health providers may use in matters related
3to mental health, mental illness, and behavioral health. The
4recognition of “brain health” shall not replace or alter the
5terms “mental health”, “mental illness”, or “behavioral health”
6as those terms relate to medical billing, insurance regulation,
7or state professional licensure.
-3-dg/rh
2BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 225C.1, subsection 1, Code 2023, is
2amended to read as follows:
31. The general assembly finds that services to persons
4with mental illness, an intellectual disability disabilities,
5developmental disabilities, or brain injury injuries, or
6brain illnesses are provided in many parts of the state by
7highly autonomous community-based service providers working
8cooperatively with state and county officials. However, the
9general assembly recognizes that heavy reliance on property tax
10funding for mental health and intellectual disability services
11has enabled many counties to exceed minimum state standards
12for the services resulting in an uneven level of services
13around the state. Consequently, greater efforts should be
14made to ensure close coordination and continuity of care for
15those persons receiving publicly supported disability services
16in Iowa. It is the purpose of this chapter to continue and
17to strengthen the services to persons with disabilities now
18available in the state of Iowa, to make disability services
19conveniently available to all persons in this state upon a
20reasonably uniform financial basis, and to assure the continued
21high quality of these services.
22 Sec. 2. Section 225C.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
23following new subsection:
24 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. a. The general assembly finds that
25to reduce the stigma associated with brain health disease and
26brain illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain health
27diagnosis and treatment, the terms “brain health” or “brain
28illness” may be used synonymous with the terms “mental health”,
29“mental illness”, and “behavioral health” to allow for more
30preventative and earlier treatments of those Iowans with brain
31health issues.
32b. The recognition of the term “brain health” does not
33replace or alter the terms “behavioral health”, “mental health”,
34or “mental illness” as those terms relate to medical billing,
35insurance regulation, or state professional licensure.
-1-1 Sec. 3. Section 225C.2, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
2following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 1A. “Brain health” means all aspects of
4the brain impacted by biological, neurological, and physical
5characteristics of the brain affecting mood and behavior.
6 Sec. 4. Section 135.11, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
7following new subsection:
8 NEW SUBSECTION. 29. Recognize the term “brain health”,
9as defined in section 225C.1, as a term that mental health
10providers may use in matters related to mental health, mental
11illness, and behavioral health. The recognition of “brain
12health” shall not replace or alter the terms “mental health”,
13“mental illness”, or “behavioral health” as those terms relate
14to medical billing, insurance regulation, or state professional
15licensure.
16EXPLANATION
17The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
18the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
19This bill relates to the term “brain health”.
20The bill includes brain illnesses in the legislative
21findings relating to services to persons with mental illness,
22an intellectual disability, developmental disabilities, or
23brain injury in Code chapter 225C (mental health and disability
24services). The bill provides that the general assembly finds
25that to reduce the stigma associated with brain health disease
26and brain illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain
27health diagnosis and treatment, the terms “brain health” or
28“brain illness” may be used synonymous with the terms “mental
29health” and “mental illness” to allow for more preventative and
30earlier treatments of those Iowans with brain health issues.
31This recognition of the term “brain health” does not replace
32the terms “behavioral health”, “mental health”, or “mental
33illness” as those terms relate to medical billing, insurance
34regulation, or state professional licensure.
35The bill adds to the duties of the department of health and
-2-1human services the duty to recognize the term “brain health” as
2a term that mental health providers may use in matters related
3to mental health, mental illness, and behavioral health. The
4recognition of “brain health” shall not replace or alter the
5terms “mental health”, “mental illness”, or “behavioral health”
6as those terms relate to medical billing, insurance regulation,
7or state professional licensure.
-3-dg/rh