Bill Text: IA HF362 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act concerning alternative transportation options relating to mental health services.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-24 - Subcommittee, Heaton, Brown-Powers, and Salmon. H.J. 403. [HF362 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2015-HF362-Introduced.html

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House File 362 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  SALMON

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act concerning alternative transportation options relating
  2    to mental health services.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
    TLSB 1611YH (3) 86
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PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM == ALTERNATIVE
  1  2 TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
  1  3    1.  The department of human services shall work with
  1  4 regional administrators of the mental health and disability
  1  5 services regions, representatives of the judicial branch
  1  6 representing judges, district court administration, clerks
  1  7 of court, the Iowa hospital association, community mental
  1  8 health centers, mental health advocates, city and county law
  1  9 enforcement, emergency medical services personnel, and other
  1 10 appropriate entities to develop recommended protocols for the
  1 11 use of alternative transportation options for the transport of
  1 12 individuals with mental illness and to develop a recommended
  1 13 associated reimbursement methodology.
  1 14    2.  The protocols developed shall balance the appropriate
  1 15 level of risk management and safety relative to all involved
  1 16 with the goal of reducing the costs associated with and
  1 17 the overreliance on law enforcement and emergency medical
  1 18 services in providing transportation for persons with mental
  1 19 illness throughout the system continuum including for routine
  1 20 appointments, assessment, or treatment, or during the voluntary
  1 21 and involuntary commitment processes.
  1 22    3.  The protocols shall reflect all of the following:
  1 23    a.  Individuals with mental illness should be provided with
  1 24 the least restrictive, safe transportation option to minimize
  1 25 interference with their rights, dignity, and self=respect,
  1 26 and reduce the likelihood that the act of transporting the
  1 27 individual will be a traumatic event.
  1 28    b.  A hierarchy of alternative transportation options to
  1 29 match the totality of the circumstances presented.  Factors
  1 30 to consider in developing the hierarchy may include existing
  1 31 statutory requirements, the individual's legal status, the
  1 32 individual's current and past mental health history, the
  1 33 individual's physical health, the individual's immediate
  1 34 treatment needs, the risk of harm the individual poses to self
  1 35 and others, the distance to be traveled, the individual's need
  2  1 for clinical support, supervision, and sedation during travel,
  2  2 the available modes of transportation, the likely effect on the
  2  3 individual of the proposed mode of transportation, information
  2  4 provided by other service providers, family, or caregivers, and
  2  5 the availability of appropriately trained staff for assessment
  2  6 and escorting, especially in rural areas.
  2  7    4.  The department shall report the recommended protocols
  2  8 developed and the associated reimbursement methodology,
  2  9 including any necessary changes in statute or rule, to the
  2 10 governor and general assembly by December 15, 2015.
  2 11                           EXPLANATION
  2 12 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  2 13 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  2 14    This bill directs the department of human services to work
  2 15 with a variety of appropriate entities to develop recommended
  2 16 protocols for the use of alternative transportation options
  2 17 for the transport of individuals with mental illness and to
  2 18 develop a recommended associated reimbursement methodology.
  2 19 The protocols developed shall balance the appropriate level of
  2 20 risk management and safety relative to all involved with the
  2 21 goal of reducing the costs associated with and the overreliance
  2 22 on law enforcement and emergency medical services in providing
  2 23 transportation for persons with mental illness throughout
  2 24 the system continuum. The protocols are to reflect that
  2 25 individuals with mental illness should be provided with the
  2 26 least restrictive, safe transportation option to minimize
  2 27 interference with their rights, dignity, and self=respect,
  2 28 and reduce the likelihood that the act of transporting the
  2 29 individual will be a traumatic event; and the protocols
  2 30 should provide for a hierarchy of alternative transportation
  2 31 options to match the totality of the circumstances presented.
  2 32 The department of human services is required to report
  2 33 the recommended protocols developed and the associated
  2 34 reimbursement methodology, including any necessary changes
  2 35 in statute or rule, to the governor and general assembly by
  3  1 December 15, 2015.
       LSB 1611YH (3) 86
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