Capitol Letters: Mental health, child care and parental consent bills move forward

State Rep. Megan Jones

Last week the House Health and Human Services Committee advanced 15 bills out of committee to address mental health, parental consent, and childcare.

Psychiatric Deterioration — House File 312 allows for individuals to be committed based on psychiatric deterioration, in addition to current law which allows for commitment when they are a danger to themselves or others. According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, an organization with a mission to eliminate the barriers to timely and effective treatment of serve mental illness through advocacy, public education and support, there are over 30 states that allow for psychiatric deterioration for their commitment laws.

Commitment Discharge — HF124 requires facilities that are discharging individuals committed for substance abuse or mental health to provide the following at discharge:

• Refer the individual committed to the administrative services organization (ASO) for evaluation, case management, and post-discharge services
• Assess for suicide risk
• Provide a 30-day supply of medications prescribed
• A discharge report to the individual committee or their legal representative. The discharge report will have all their appointments and medications outlined, ASO contact information, an aftercare plan with crisis prevention, and education materials developed by DHHS
• Notify the ASO and legal guardians
• This bill also requires the ASO to coordinate post-discharge care for individuals after commitment.

Commitment Testimony — HF313 allows for physician assistants and advanced registered nurse practitioners to testify at committal hearings if they witnessed the examination, reviewed the report, and the professional that examined the individual is unable to attend the hearing.

Child Care Employees — HSB7 as amended maintains the existing ability for a child care employee to receive a physical six months prior to beginning employment, but also allows for the child care employee to receive the physical within three months after beginning employment, removing a barrier to employment.

Minor Vaccine Consent — Iowa code allows for minors to consent to very few medical treatments without parental consent. One of those is for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. This code section has been construed to include the ability for a minor to consent to the Hepatitis B vaccine and the HPV vaccine. HF 104 removes the ability for a minor to consent to vaccines for a STD without parental consent.

Vaccine Exemption Notification — HF 299 requires all child care providers, schools, and higher education to notify parents/students of legal vaccine exemptions when communicating with parents regarding vaccine requirements.

Contact Jones by email at megan.jones@legis.iowa.gov