230A.103  Designation of community mental health centers.
  1.  The department, subject to agreement by any community mental health center that would provide services for the catchment area and approval by the commission, shall designate at least one community mental health center under this chapter for addressing the mental health needs of the county or counties comprising the catchment area. The designation process shall provide for the input of potential service providers regarding designation of the initial catchment area or a change in the designation.
  2.  The department shall utilize objective criteria for designating a community mental health center to serve a catchment area and for withdrawing such designation. The commission shall adopt rules outlining the criteria. The criteria shall include but are not limited to provisions for meeting all of the following requirements:
  a.  An appropriate means shall be used for determining which prospective designee is best able to serve all ages of the targeted population within the catchment area with minimal or no service denials.
  b.  An effective means shall be used for determining the relative ability of a prospective designee to appropriately provide mental health services and other support to consumers residing within a catchment area as well as consumers residing outside the catchment area. The criteria shall address the duty for a prospective designee to arrange placements outside the catchment area when such placements best meet consumer needs and to provide services within the catchment area to consumers who reside outside the catchment area when the services are necessary and appropriate.
  3.  The board of directors for a designated community mental health center shall enter into an agreement with the department. The terms of the agreement shall include but are not limited to all of the following:
  a.  The period of time the agreement will be in force.
  b.  The services and other support the center will offer or provide for the residents of the catchment area.
  c.  The standards to be followed by the center in determining whether and to what extent the persons seeking services from the center shall be considered to be able to pay the costs of the services.
  d.  The policies regarding availability of the services offered by the center to the residents of the catchment area as well as consumers residing outside the catchment area.
  e.  The requirements for preparation and submission to the department of annual audits, cost reports, program reports, performance measures, and other financial and service accountability information.
  4.  This section does not limit the authority of the board or the boards of supervisors of any county or group of counties to continue to expend money to support operation of a center.
2011 Acts, ch 121, §13, 23; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §571
Section amended