House File 711 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY WESSEL=KROESCHELL, LENSING,
WINCKLER, and HUNTER
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act creating a mental health services and policy division in
2 the department of public health.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2040YH 82
5 jp/je/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 135.153 DIVISION OF MENTAL
1 2 HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY == LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
1 3 1. "Mental health services" means the treatment,
1 4 assessment, or counseling of another person for a cognitive,
1 5 behavioral, emotional, mental, or social dysfunction,
1 6 including an intrapersonal or interpersonal dysfunction and
1 7 includes but is not limited to such services provided by a
1 8 mental health professional, as defined in section 228.1.
1 9 2. Effective July 1, 2008, the division of mental health
1 10 services and policy is created in the department. The
1 11 division shall either directly administer or coordinate the
1 12 mental health services provided in this state for all age
1 13 groups and shall coordinate policy for the state and local
1 14 public agencies that provide mental health services.
1 15 3. It is the intent of the general assembly either to make
1 16 the division responsible for coordinating the services
1 17 administered by the departments and agencies listed in this
1 18 subsection or to transfer to the division responsibility for
1 19 the direct administration of the services by July 1, 2008.
1 20 The mental health services administered by all of the
1 21 following state departments and agencies shall be considered
1 22 for transfer:
1 23 a. Adult, children, and family mental health services,
1 24 including but not limited to those provided by or under a
1 25 state mental health institute, the sexually violent predator
1 26 program, federal grants, the mental health portion of the
1 27 functions of the division of mental health and disabilities
1 28 services, and the medical assistance program, and
1 29 responsibility for the functions involving provider
1 30 regulation, policy and planning, and county=administered
1 31 mental health services that are under the department of human
1 32 services.
1 33 b. Child and family mental health services administered by
1 34 juvenile court services.
1 35 c. Child and mental health services provided by schools
2 1 and area education agencies.
2 2 d. Offender mental health services administered by the
2 3 department of corrections.
2 4 e. Mental health services policy support and educational
2 5 activities provided by the institutions under the state board
2 6 of regents.
2 7 f. Mental health services administered by the department
2 8 of veterans affairs.
2 9 Sec. 2. MENTAL HEALTH INTERIM STUDY.
2 10 1. The legislative council is requested to establish a
2 11 study committee for the 2007 interim to develop a plan for
2 12 implementing the division of mental health services in the
2 13 department of public health effective July 1, 2008, as
2 14 provided in Code section 135.153, as enacted by this Act.
2 15 2. The study committee shall consult with all of the
2 16 following in formulating the plan:
2 17 a. State agency administrators from the agencies addressed
2 18 in Code section 135.153, as enacted by this Act.
2 19 b. Representatives of mental health service providers,
2 20 including but not limited to community and institutional
2 21 providers, state and county programs, and psychiatrists and
2 22 other mental health professionals.
2 23 c. Consumers of mental health services and consumer
2 24 advocates.
2 25 3. If established, the study committee should be directed
2 26 to report with findings, recommendations, and a detailed plan
2 27 for consideration by the governor and general assembly in the
2 28 2008 regular session of the general assembly.
2 29 EXPLANATION
2 30 This bill creates a mental health services and policy
2 31 division in the department of public health effective July 1,
2 32 2008. The term "mental health services" is defined. The
2 33 purpose of the division is to either directly administer or
2 34 coordinate the mental health services provided in this state
2 35 for all age groups and to coordinate policy for the state and
3 1 local public agencies that provide mental health services.
3 2 The bill includes a list of services administered by
3 3 various agencies that are required to be considered for
3 4 transfer to the division.
3 5 The bill requests the legislative council to create a study
3 6 committee for the 2007 legislative interim to develop a plan
3 7 for the division and for transfer of functions. The study
3 8 committee is required to consult with various interests and to
3 9 report with findings, recommendations, and a plan for
3 10 consideration by the governor and general assembly in the 2008
3 11 legislative session.
3 12 LSB 2040YH 82
3 13 jp:nh/je/5