House File 2263 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2263 BY CROKEN , MADISON , KURTH , BROWN-POWERS , and WILBURN A BILL FOR An Act requiring the department of health and human services to 1 establish peer-run respite programs. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5606YH (3) 91 dg/ko
H.F. 2263 Section 1. Section 225A.1, Code 2026, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 12A. “Life-altering challenge” means a 3 major personal stressor or life event that is disruptive to an 4 individual’s well-being and daily life and that may result in 5 the need for crisis prevention. 6 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 225A.10 Peer-run respite programs. 7 1. The department shall establish seven peer-run respite 8 programs throughout the state, each of which must meet all of 9 the following requirements: 10 a. The program shall offer voluntary, short-term support for 11 individuals experiencing emotional distress, behavioral health 12 distress, a mental health crisis, or a life-altering challenge. 13 b. The program shall not be located on a clinical, medical, 14 or mental health facility’s campus. 15 c. Each program shall operate independently of other medical 16 clinics and behavioral health clinics. 17 d. At least fifty-one percent of the board of directors 18 for the program shall be comprised of individuals who have a 19 history of living with a psychiatric condition or a behavioral 20 health condition, or who have experienced a life-altering 21 challenge. 22 e. If the program offers clinical mental health services, 23 the clinical mental health services must constitute less than 24 ten percent of the total services offered by the program. 25 2. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A 26 to administer this section. 27 EXPLANATION 28 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 29 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 30 This bill requires the department of health and human 31 services to establish seven peer-run respite programs 32 (programs) throughout the state. The programs must offer 33 voluntary, short-term support for individuals experiencing 34 emotional distress, behavioral health distress, a mental health 35 -1- LSB 5606YH (3) 91 dg/ko 1/ 2
H.F. 2263 crisis, or a life-altering challenge as that term is defined 1 in the bill. The programs cannot be located on a clinical, 2 medical, or mental health facility’s campus, and must operate 3 independently from other medical clinics and behavioral health 4 clinics. At least 51 percent of a program’s board of directors 5 must be comprised of individuals who have a history of living 6 with a psychiatric condition or a behavioral health condition, 7 or who have experienced a life-altering challenge. If a 8 program offers clinical mental health services, such services 9 must constitute less than 10 percent of the total services 10 offered by the program. 11 -2- LSB 5606YH (3) 91 dg/ko 2/ 2