House
File
362
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
362
BY
SALMON
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
concerning
alternative
transportation
options
relating
1
to
mental
health
services.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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Section
1.
MENTAL
HEALTH
SYSTEM
——
ALTERNATIVE
1
TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS.
2
1.
The
department
of
human
services
shall
work
with
3
regional
administrators
of
the
mental
health
and
disability
4
services
regions,
representatives
of
the
judicial
branch
5
representing
judges,
district
court
administration,
clerks
6
of
court,
the
Iowa
hospital
association,
community
mental
7
health
centers,
mental
health
advocates,
city
and
county
law
8
enforcement,
emergency
medical
services
personnel,
and
other
9
appropriate
entities
to
develop
recommended
protocols
for
the
10
use
of
alternative
transportation
options
for
the
transport
of
11
individuals
with
mental
illness
and
to
develop
a
recommended
12
associated
reimbursement
methodology.
13
2.
The
protocols
developed
shall
balance
the
appropriate
14
level
of
risk
management
and
safety
relative
to
all
involved
15
with
the
goal
of
reducing
the
costs
associated
with
and
16
the
overreliance
on
law
enforcement
and
emergency
medical
17
services
in
providing
transportation
for
persons
with
mental
18
illness
throughout
the
system
continuum
including
for
routine
19
appointments,
assessment,
or
treatment,
or
during
the
voluntary
20
and
involuntary
commitment
processes.
21
3.
The
protocols
shall
reflect
all
of
the
following:
22
a.
Individuals
with
mental
illness
should
be
provided
with
23
the
least
restrictive,
safe
transportation
option
to
minimize
24
interference
with
their
rights,
dignity,
and
self-respect,
25
and
reduce
the
likelihood
that
the
act
of
transporting
the
26
individual
will
be
a
traumatic
event.
27
b.
A
hierarchy
of
alternative
transportation
options
to
28
match
the
totality
of
the
circumstances
presented.
Factors
29
to
consider
in
developing
the
hierarchy
may
include
existing
30
statutory
requirements,
the
individual’s
legal
status,
the
31
individual’s
current
and
past
mental
health
history,
the
32
individual’s
physical
health,
the
individual’s
immediate
33
treatment
needs,
the
risk
of
harm
the
individual
poses
to
self
34
and
others,
the
distance
to
be
traveled,
the
individual’s
need
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for
clinical
support,
supervision,
and
sedation
during
travel,
1
the
available
modes
of
transportation,
the
likely
effect
on
the
2
individual
of
the
proposed
mode
of
transportation,
information
3
provided
by
other
service
providers,
family,
or
caregivers,
and
4
the
availability
of
appropriately
trained
staff
for
assessment
5
and
escorting,
especially
in
rural
areas.
6
4.
The
department
shall
report
the
recommended
protocols
7
developed
and
the
associated
reimbursement
methodology,
8
including
any
necessary
changes
in
statute
or
rule,
to
the
9
governor
and
general
assembly
by
December
15,
2015.
10
EXPLANATION
11
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
12
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
13
This
bill
directs
the
department
of
human
services
to
work
14
with
a
variety
of
appropriate
entities
to
develop
recommended
15
protocols
for
the
use
of
alternative
transportation
options
16
for
the
transport
of
individuals
with
mental
illness
and
to
17
develop
a
recommended
associated
reimbursement
methodology.
18
The
protocols
developed
shall
balance
the
appropriate
level
of
19
risk
management
and
safety
relative
to
all
involved
with
the
20
goal
of
reducing
the
costs
associated
with
and
the
overreliance
21
on
law
enforcement
and
emergency
medical
services
in
providing
22
transportation
for
persons
with
mental
illness
throughout
23
the
system
continuum.
The
protocols
are
to
reflect
that
24
individuals
with
mental
illness
should
be
provided
with
the
25
least
restrictive,
safe
transportation
option
to
minimize
26
interference
with
their
rights,
dignity,
and
self-respect,
27
and
reduce
the
likelihood
that
the
act
of
transporting
the
28
individual
will
be
a
traumatic
event;
and
the
protocols
29
should
provide
for
a
hierarchy
of
alternative
transportation
30
options
to
match
the
totality
of
the
circumstances
presented.
31
The
department
of
human
services
is
required
to
report
32
the
recommended
protocols
developed
and
the
associated
33
reimbursement
methodology,
including
any
necessary
changes
34
in
statute
or
rule,
to
the
governor
and
general
assembly
by
35
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December
15,
2015.
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