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House File 692 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the staffing of brain health professionals
2in primary and secondary schools and making appropriations.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 135.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 01. “Brain health” means the same as in
4section 225C.2, and incorporates the findings and purposes
5stated in section 225C.1, subsection 3.
6 Sec. 2. Section 135.11, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
7following new subsection:
8 NEW SUBSECTION. 22A. Adopt rules which allow mental health
9providers to use the term “brain health” synonymously with the
10terms “mental health” or “mental illness” and promote the usage
11of the term “brain health” for the purpose of reducing stigma
12related to mental health disease and illness.
13 Sec. 3. Section 225C.1, subsection 1, Code 2023, is amended
14to read as follows:
151. The general assembly finds that services to persons
16with mental illness, an intellectual disability disabilities,
17developmental disabilities, or brain injury injuries or other
18brain health issues are provided in many parts of the state by
19highly autonomous community-based service providers working
20cooperatively with state and county officials. However, the
21general assembly recognizes that heavy reliance on property tax
22funding for mental brain health and intellectual disability
23services has enabled many counties to exceed minimum state
24standards for the services resulting in an uneven level of
25services around the state. Consequently, greater efforts
26should be made to ensure close coordination and continuity
27of care for those persons receiving publicly supported
28disability services in Iowa. It is the purpose of this chapter
29to continue and to strengthen the services to persons with
30disabilities now available in the state of Iowa, to make
31disability services conveniently available to all persons in
32this state upon a reasonably uniform financial basis, and to
33assure the continued high quality of these services.
34 Sec. 4. Section 225C.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
35following new subsection:
-1-1 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. a. The general assembly finds that
2to reduce the stigma associated with brain health disease
3and illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain health
4diagnosis and treatment, the term “brain health” may be used
5synonymously with the terms “mental health” and “mental illness”
6to allow for more preventative and earlier treatments of those
7Iowans with brain health issues.
8b. The recognition of the term “brain health” does not
9replace the terms “mental health” or “mental illness” as it
10relates to medical billing or state professional licensure.
11 Sec. 5. Section 225C.2, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
12following new subsection:
13 NEW SUBSECTION. 1A. “Brain health” means all aspects of the
14brain impacted by biological and physical characteristics of
15the brain affecting mood and behavior.
16 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 280.33 Brain health professionals —
17appropriation.
181. As used in this section, “brain health” means the same as
19in section 225C.2, and incorporates the findings and purposes
20stated in section 225C.1, subsection 3.
212. Each public school and nonpublic school shall have a
22minimum of one health care professional with brain health
23credentials available on site daily to assist students during
24normal hours of instruction.
253. There is appropriated annually from the general fund of
26the state to the department of education an amount sufficient
27to meet the requirements of subsection 1.
284. The department of health and human services shall assist
29the department of education in determining the annual amount
30necessary to meet the requirements of subsection 1.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill relates to the staffing of brain health
35professionals in primary and secondary schools.
-2- 1The bill includes brain health issues in the legislative
2findings relating to services to persons with mental illness,
3an intellectual disability, developmental disabilities, or
4brain injury in Code chapter 225C (mental health and disability
5services). The bill provides that the general assembly
6finds that to reduce the stigma associated with brain health
7disease and illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain
8health diagnosis and treatment, the term “brain health” may be
9used synonymously with the terms “mental health” and “mental
10illness” to allow for more preventative and earlier treatments
11of those Iowans with brain health issues.
12The bill defines “brain health” as all aspects of the brain
13impacted by biological and physical characteristics of the
14brain affecting mood and behavior.
15The bill adopts the same intent and meaning of “brain health”
16for Code chapters 135 (department of public health) and 280
17(uniform school requirements) as established in Code chapter
18225C.
19The bill creates a duty for the department of public health
20to adopt rules which allow mental health providers to use
21the term “brain health” synonymously with the terms “mental
22health” or “mental illness” and promote the usage of the term
23“brain health” for the purpose of reducing stigma related to
24mental health disease and illness. This recognition of the
25term “brain health” does not replace the terms “mental health”
26or “mental illness” as it relates to medical billing or state
27processional licensure.
28The bill makes it a requirement for all charter schools,
29public schools, and accredited nonpublic schools to have a
30minimum of one health care professional with brain health
31credentials available on site to assist students during normal
32hours of instruction.
33The bill annually appropriates to the department of
34education an amount sufficient to provide this staffing, and
35requires the department of health and human services to assist
-3-1the department of education in determining the required amount.
-4-dg/jh
2in primary and secondary schools and making appropriations.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 135.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 01. “Brain health” means the same as in
4section 225C.2, and incorporates the findings and purposes
5stated in section 225C.1, subsection 3.
6 Sec. 2. Section 135.11, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
7following new subsection:
8 NEW SUBSECTION. 22A. Adopt rules which allow mental health
9providers to use the term “brain health” synonymously with the
10terms “mental health” or “mental illness” and promote the usage
11of the term “brain health” for the purpose of reducing stigma
12related to mental health disease and illness.
13 Sec. 3. Section 225C.1, subsection 1, Code 2023, is amended
14to read as follows:
151. The general assembly finds that services to persons
16with mental illness, an intellectual disability disabilities,
17developmental disabilities, or brain injury injuries or other
18brain health issues are provided in many parts of the state by
19highly autonomous community-based service providers working
20cooperatively with state and county officials. However, the
21general assembly recognizes that heavy reliance on property tax
22funding for mental brain health and intellectual disability
23services has enabled many counties to exceed minimum state
24standards for the services resulting in an uneven level of
25services around the state. Consequently, greater efforts
26should be made to ensure close coordination and continuity
27of care for those persons receiving publicly supported
28disability services in Iowa. It is the purpose of this chapter
29to continue and to strengthen the services to persons with
30disabilities now available in the state of Iowa, to make
31disability services conveniently available to all persons in
32this state upon a reasonably uniform financial basis, and to
33assure the continued high quality of these services.
34 Sec. 4. Section 225C.1, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
35following new subsection:
-1-1 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. a. The general assembly finds that
2to reduce the stigma associated with brain health disease
3and illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain health
4diagnosis and treatment, the term “brain health” may be used
5synonymously with the terms “mental health” and “mental illness”
6to allow for more preventative and earlier treatments of those
7Iowans with brain health issues.
8b. The recognition of the term “brain health” does not
9replace the terms “mental health” or “mental illness” as it
10relates to medical billing or state professional licensure.
11 Sec. 5. Section 225C.2, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
12following new subsection:
13 NEW SUBSECTION. 1A. “Brain health” means all aspects of the
14brain impacted by biological and physical characteristics of
15the brain affecting mood and behavior.
16 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 280.33 Brain health professionals —
17appropriation.
181. As used in this section, “brain health” means the same as
19in section 225C.2, and incorporates the findings and purposes
20stated in section 225C.1, subsection 3.
212. Each public school and nonpublic school shall have a
22minimum of one health care professional with brain health
23credentials available on site daily to assist students during
24normal hours of instruction.
253. There is appropriated annually from the general fund of
26the state to the department of education an amount sufficient
27to meet the requirements of subsection 1.
284. The department of health and human services shall assist
29the department of education in determining the annual amount
30necessary to meet the requirements of subsection 1.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill relates to the staffing of brain health
35professionals in primary and secondary schools.
-2- 1The bill includes brain health issues in the legislative
2findings relating to services to persons with mental illness,
3an intellectual disability, developmental disabilities, or
4brain injury in Code chapter 225C (mental health and disability
5services). The bill provides that the general assembly
6finds that to reduce the stigma associated with brain health
7disease and illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain
8health diagnosis and treatment, the term “brain health” may be
9used synonymously with the terms “mental health” and “mental
10illness” to allow for more preventative and earlier treatments
11of those Iowans with brain health issues.
12The bill defines “brain health” as all aspects of the brain
13impacted by biological and physical characteristics of the
14brain affecting mood and behavior.
15The bill adopts the same intent and meaning of “brain health”
16for Code chapters 135 (department of public health) and 280
17(uniform school requirements) as established in Code chapter
18225C.
19The bill creates a duty for the department of public health
20to adopt rules which allow mental health providers to use
21the term “brain health” synonymously with the terms “mental
22health” or “mental illness” and promote the usage of the term
23“brain health” for the purpose of reducing stigma related to
24mental health disease and illness. This recognition of the
25term “brain health” does not replace the terms “mental health”
26or “mental illness” as it relates to medical billing or state
27processional licensure.
28The bill makes it a requirement for all charter schools,
29public schools, and accredited nonpublic schools to have a
30minimum of one health care professional with brain health
31credentials available on site to assist students during normal
32hours of instruction.
33The bill annually appropriates to the department of
34education an amount sufficient to provide this staffing, and
35requires the department of health and human services to assist
-3-1the department of education in determining the required amount.
-4-dg/jh