Healthcare (Mental Health)

died · Iowa · House Mar 2, 2026

HF 2114: A bill for an act authorizing the parent or legal guardian of a child to have the child committed for substance use or mental health treatment.

HF 2114 allows parents or legal guardians to seek substance use or mental health treatment for minors (under 18) without court involvement. The bill amends Iowa law to let guardians apply directly to treatment facilities or healthcare providers for their child's care, with strict confidentiality protections. It prohibits reporting a minor's treatment details to law enforcement without consent and creates penalties for unauthorized disclosure. The bill also specifies that a minor’s admission to treatment cannot be subject to court jurisdiction if the minor and guardian consent. This applies directly to minors needing substance use or mental health services in Iowa.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves court barriers for minors' mental health/substance treatment access, enhancing patient access to care per bill's direct language.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2129: A bill for an act relating to the disclosure of psychological test data.

SF 2129 clarifies disclosure rules for psychological test data in Iowa. It defines "test data" as raw scores, client responses, and psychologist notes (from the APA code), and "test materials" as actual test questions or manuals. The bill allows individuals to request their test data be shared with a designated licensed psychologist, but prohibits disclosing the original test materials unless redacted from the data. This directly affects patients undergoing psychological testing and licensed psychologists who may receive such records. The law does not change current restrictions on disclosing test materials themselves.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows patients to share psychological test data with licensed psychologists, enhancing mental health care access and protecting patient privacy per APA standards.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill establishes data privacy protections for psychological test data via disclosure rules, directly aligning with technology topic's data privacy focus.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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signed · Iowa · House May 6, 2026

HF 2256: A bill for an act exempting a parent’s or legal guardian’s inability to access appropriate behavioral or mental health treatment for their child from the definition of child abuse.

HF 2256 expands Iowa's criteria for identifying a child as needing assistance (CINA) due to chemical dependency, mental health issues, or behavioral disorders. The bill allows courts to declare a child a CINA if they require treatment for serious chemical dependency, mental illness, or behavioral health issues that threaten safety or cause aggressive behavior, and the parent/guardian is unwilling or unable to secure that treatment. It removes an outdated subsection (232.96A(13)) to align the law with this expanded definition. This change directly affects children needing specialized treatment and their families when parents cannot or will not seek care.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands treatment access for youth with mental health/substance issues to prevent escalation to criminal justice system, aligning with reform goals.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands access to mental health/substance use treatment for children via CINA criteria, strengthening healthcare access for vulnerable youth.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

introduced · Iowa · Legislature

5558XD: Health and Human Services Districts (5558XD) - Health and Human Services, Department of

This bill establishes "Health and Human Services Districts" (HHS districts) across Iowa to organize the delivery of health and human services. The Department of Health and Human Services must divide the state into these geographic, multicounty districts (initially matching existing behavioral health districts) and review them every seven years. District boundaries can be modified considering factors like county lines, population size, service needs, and access patterns, with modifications exempt from judicial review. The bill primarily creates an administrative framework for statewide service delivery, not direct policy changes affecting individuals or programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes HHS districts to organize health services delivery, aligning with behavioral health districts to improve access and service coordination per bill's purpose.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SF 2098: A bill for an act relating to firearms, including background checks for acquiring pistols or revolvers, identification markings on firearms and firearm parts, trigger locks, extreme risk protective orders, mental health funding, certain firearm transfers, and certain related crimes, and providing penalties.

This bill, Iowa's "Charlie Kirk and Melissa Hortman Firearm Regulation Act," requires background checks for pistol and revolver purchases from any seller (not just dealers), prohibits sales to those under 21, and mandates unique serial numbers for homemade firearms by December 2026. It also requires identification markings on all firearms and unfinished frames/receivers, prohibits altering or removing these marks, and includes provisions for extreme risk protective orders and mental health funding. The law directly affects firearm manufacturers, sellers, and buyers by adding new registration and marking requirements for homemade weapons and tightening background check processes for pistols. Key mechanisms include the new serial number system for homemade firearms, age restrictions on pistol purchases, and penalties for tampering with identification marks.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncludes extreme risk protective orders (ERPOs) and mental health funding, key criminal justice reform elements targeting gun violence prevention.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly includes mental health funding provisions as part of firearm regulation measures, directly supporting mental health services within healthcare policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Mental Health

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1057XD: Assaults, Persons Engaged in Certain Occupations and by Inmates (1057XD) - Attorney General

This Iowa bill (1057XD) upgrades penalties for assaults against specific public safety and service workers, including peace officers, correctional staff, healthcare providers, firefighters, and others. It increases penalties to a class "C" felony for assaults with intent to cause serious injury or involving dangerous weapons, and to a class "D" felony for causing bodily injury or mental illness. For inmates, it makes assaults involving bodily fluids (like spitting) against correctional staff a class "D" felony, requiring a minimum seven-day prison sentence. The bill directly affects anyone who assaults these designated workers while knowing their occupation, with stricter penalties than current law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill upgrades assault penalties to felony for attacks on public safety workers, expanding criminalization and increasing severity of sentencing.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill explicitly protects healthcare providers from assault via upgraded penalties, supporting workforce safety in healthcare delivery.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases felony penalties for assaults against protected workers (e.g., healthcare, correctional staff), directly enhancing workplace safety protections for specific occupations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 255: A bill for an act enacting the psychology interjurisdictional compact.

HF 255 enacts Iowa's participation in the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, allowing licensed psychologists from other participating states to provide temporary in-person services (up to 30 days per year) or telepsychology services to Iowa patients without needing an Iowa license. It directly affects psychologists seeking to practice across state lines and Iowa patients needing access to out-of-state psychological services. Key provisions include mutual recognition of licenses, a coordinated system for sharing disciplinary information between states, and temporary practice certificates ("IPC") for in-person visits or telepsychology. The compact does not apply to permanent practice or psychologists already licensed in both states, while maintaining each state's authority to protect public safety through its own licensing standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables out-of-state psychologists to provide telepsychology/in-person services without Iowa license, expanding mental health access for patients via interstate compacts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SF 438: A bill for an act relating to the establishment of a 988 emergency service fund, making an appropriation, and including effective date provisions.

SF 438 establishes a state-funded 988 emergency service fund to support suicide and crisis lifeline services in Iowa. It allocates $3 million annually from the state general fund starting in fiscal year 2025-2026 to the fund, controlled by the Department of Health and Human Services. The fund will provide financial support to organizations operating the 988 service if federal funding for these services is interrupted, delayed, or reduced. This directly affects crisis hotline providers who rely on the 988 system (accessible by dialing 9-8-8 or texting) to maintain uninterrupted emergency mental health support.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $3M annually from state general fund for 988 crisis services, increasing public service funding and ensuring continuity of mental health support.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes $3M annual state fund for 988 mental health crisis services, ensuring continuity of care during federal funding gaps - directly funds mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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died · Iowa · House Mar 14, 2025

HF 139: A bill for an act relating to filing applications and custody of the respondent in an involuntary commitment proceeding.

HF 139 modifies procedures for involuntary commitment cases involving substance use disorders or mental health treatment. It allows any interested person to file a verified application in any county, requiring courts to transfer cases to the respondent's current county if filed elsewhere. The bill explicitly authorizes law enforcement officers to take respondents into custody in any county for placement at a treatment facility under court orders. It also requires facilities to report on treatment progress to courts within 15 days and mandates law enforcement to locate and return individuals who leave treatment without authorization. These changes aim to streamline custody and treatment processes while clarifying jurisdiction and enforcement authority.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStreamlines mental health treatment access via county transfers and law enforcement custody for commitment cases, improving patient access to care per bill's explicit mental health focus.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SF 528: A bill for an act relating to the personal needs allowance for residents of certain facilities under the Medicaid program, and providing an appropriation.

This bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance for Medicaid residents in specific facilities from $50 to $85. It directly affects residents of nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities for intellectual disabilities or mental illness, and children's psychiatric medical institutions. The bill requires the state to supplement residents with income below $85 per month to reach the full $85 allowance, using annual appropriations from the general fund to the Department of Health and Human Services. This change provides a concrete policy adjustment to support residents' personal expenses within the Medicaid program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases Medicaid personal needs allowance funding via general fund appropriations, directly supporting public assistance programs.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases Medicaid personal needs allowance from $50 to $85, funding through state appropriations to enhance resident support in healthcare facilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Medicaid Mental Health

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