House File 2256 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2256 BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 503) A BILL FOR An Act relating to adjudication of a child in need of 1 assistance due to the need for treatment of a chemical 2 dependency, mental health disorder, or behavioral disorder. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5382HV (1) 91 dg/ko

H.F. 2256 Section 1. Section 232.96A, subsection 6, Code 2026, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 6. The child is in need of treatment to cure or alleviate a 3 serious chemical dependency or mental illness or disorder, or 4 emotional damage as evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, 5 withdrawal, or behavioral health disorder that compromises the 6 child’s safety or causes untoward aggressive behavior toward 7 the child’s self or others in the household or the child’s 8 community, and the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian is 9 unwilling or unable to provide such treatment or the parent’s, 10 guardian’s, or custodian’s efforts to secure needed treatment 11 have been exhausted and unsuccessful . 12 Sec. 2. Section 232.96A, subsection 13, Code 2026, is 13 amended by striking the subsection. 14 EXPLANATION 15 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 16 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 17 This bill relates to adjudication of a child in need 18 of assistance due to the need for treatment of a chemical 19 dependency, mental health disorder, or behavioral disorder. 20 The bill allows a court to adjudicate a child in need of 21 assistance (CINA) when the child requires treatment to cure or 22 alleviate a serious chemical dependency or mental or behavioral 23 health disorder that compromises the child’s safety or causes 24 untoward aggressive behavior toward others in the household 25 or the child’s community, and the child’s parent, guardian, 26 or custodian (parent) is unwilling or unable to provide such 27 treatment, or the parent’s efforts to secure needed treatment 28 have been exhausted and unsuccessful. Under current law, to be 29 adjudicated a CINA because treatment is necessary, a child must 30 need treatment to cure or alleviate a serious mental illness or 31 disorder, or emotional damage as evidenced by severe anxiety, 32 depression, withdrawal, or untoward aggressive behavior toward 33 the child’s self or others and the child’s parent is unwilling 34 to provide such treatment. 35 -1- LSB 5382HV (1) 91 dg/ko 1/ 2

H.F. 2256 The bill makes a conforming change by striking Code section 1 232.96A(13). 2 -2- LSB 5382HV (1) 91 dg/ko 2/ 2