Title VI, HUMAN SERVICES (Ch. 216 - 255A)

The name and address of the director shall be posted in every ward in each mental health institute. Every patient shall be allowed to write once a week what the patient pleases to the director and to any other person. The superintendent may send letters addressed to other parties…

Every patient shall be furnished by the superintendent or party having charge of the patient, at least once each week, with suitable materials for writing, enclosing, sealing, and mailing letters, if the patient requests and uses the materials. [C73, §1437; C97, §2301; C24, 27, 3…

The superintendent or other officer in charge of a patient shall, without reading the letters, receive all letters addressed to the director, if so requested, and shall properly mail the letters, and deliver to such patient all letters or other writings addressed to the patient. …

The superintendent and all other officers and employees of any mental health institute, in case of the unauthorized departure of any involuntarily hospitalized patient, shall exercise all due diligence to take into protective custody and return the patient to the mental health in…

All actual and necessary expenses incurred in the taking into protective custody, restraint, and return to the mental health institute of the patient shall be paid on itemized vouchers, sworn to by the claimants and approved by the director or the director’s designee, from any mo…

The director may investigate the mental condition of any patient and shall discharge any person, if, in the director’s opinion, the person is not mentally ill, or can be cared for after discharge without danger to others, and with benefit to the patient. In determining whether th…

1. Every patient shall be discharged in accordance with the procedure prescribed in section 229.3 or section 229.16 , whichever is applicable, immediately on regaining the patient’s good mental health. 2. If a patient’s care is the financial responsibility of the state or a count…

The superintendent of each institute must be qualified by experience and training in the administration of human service programs. A physician shall not serve as both superintendent and business manager. A hospital administrator or other person qualified in business management ap…

Upon discharge, the department shall furnish the person discharged, unless otherwise supplied, with suitable clothing and a sum of money not exceeding twenty dollars, which shall be charged with the other expenses of the patient in the mental health institute. [R60, §1485; C73, §…

Upon the recommendation of the superintendent and in accordance with section 229.15, subsection 5 , in the case of an involuntary patient, the director may place the patient on convalescent leave for a period not to exceed one year, under conditions prescribed by the director. [C…

The director, on the recommendation of the superintendent, and on the application of the relatives or friends of a patient who is not cured and who cannot be safely allowed to go at liberty, may release the patient when fully satisfied that the relatives or friends will provide a…

If a patient was committed to a mental health institute for evaluation or treatment under chapter 812 or the rules of criminal procedure, further proceedings shall be had under chapter 812 or the applicable rule when the evaluation has been completed or the patient has regained m…

The assistant physicians shall be of such character and qualifications as to be able to perform the ordinary duties of the superintendent during the superintendent’s absence or inability to act. [R60, §1432; C73, §1394; C97, §2260; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 3485; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62…

When a patient of any mental health institute becomes incorrigible and unmanageable to such an extent that the patient is dangerous to the safety of others in the institute, the director, with the consent of the director of the Iowa department of corrections, may apply in writing…

Before granting the order authorized in section 226.30 , the court or judge shall investigate the allegations of the petition and before proceeding to a hearing on the allegations shall require notice to be served on the attorney who represented the patient in any prior proceedin…

The director shall order the discharge or removal from the mental health institute of incurable and harmless patients whenever it is necessary to make room for recent cases. [R60, §1483; C73, §1425; C97, §2289; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 3514; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77,…

When a patient who was hospitalized involuntarily and who has not fully recovered is discharged from the mental health institute by the director under section 226.32 , notice of the order shall at once be sent to the court which ordered the patient’s hospitalization, in the manne…

1. Upon the death of a patient, the county medical examiner shall conduct a preliminary investigation as required by section 218.64 , in accordance with section 331.802 . 2. If a patient in a mental health institute dies from any cause, the superintendent of the institute shall w…

The salary of the superintendent of each mental health institute shall be determined by the director. [R60, §1469, 1496; C97, §2258; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 3486; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §226.4 ] 2023 Acts, ch 19, §472

In case of emergency disaster, with the infliction of numerous casualties among the civilian population, the mental health institutes may accept sick and wounded persons without commitment or any other formalities. [C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §226.40 ] 2023 Acts, ch 19, §49…

The mental health institute may charge for patients admitted under section 226.40 , in the manner provided by law and subject to the changes provided in section 226.42 . [C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §226.41 ] 2019 Acts, ch 59, §65 ; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §495

In case the mental health institutes lose contact with the seat of government, due to enemy action or otherwise, the superintendents of the institutes may do any of the following: 1. Collect moneys due the state treasury from the counties and from responsible persons or other rel…

There is established at each mental health institute a fund known as the “patients’ personal deposit fund”. [C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §226.43 ] 2023 Acts, ch 19, §497

Any funds, including social security benefits, coming into the possession of the superintendent or any employee of the mental health institute belonging to any patient in that mental health institute, shall be deposited in the name of that patient in the patients’ personal deposi…

The department shall deposit the patients’ personal deposit fund in a commercial account of a bank of reputable standing. When deposits in the commercial account exceed average monthly withdrawals, the department may deposit the excess at interest. The savings account shall be in…

The superintendents and assistant physicians of the mental health institutes, when called as witnesses in any court, shall be paid the same mileage which other witnesses are paid and in addition shall be paid a fee of twenty-five dollars per day, the fee to revert to the support …

The superintendent shall: 1. Have the control of the medical, mental, moral, and dietetic treatment of the patients in the superintendent’s custody subject to the approval of the director. 2. Require all subordinate officers and employees to perform their respective duties. 3. Ha…

1. a. Preference in the reception of patients into the mental health institutes shall be exercised in the following order: (1) Cases of less duration than one year. (2) Chronic cases, where the disease is of more than one-year duration, presenting the most favorable prospect for …

1. Admission or transfer pursuant to section 222.7 to a state mental health institute of a person with a diagnosis of an intellectual disability, as defined in section 4.1 , shall only occur under the following conditions: a. If all of the following requirements are met: (1) The …

The superintendent, upon the receipt of a duly executed order of admission of a patient into a state mental health institute, pursuant to section 229.13 , shall take the patient into custody and restrain the patient as provided by law and the rules of the department, without liab…

Effective January 1, 1991, a juvenile who is committed to a state mental health institute shall not be placed in a secure ward with adults. 89 Acts, ch 283, §21

1. The psychiatric medical institution for children beds operated by the state at the state mental health institute at Independence, as authorized in section 135H.6 , shall operate on the basis of a net appropriation from the general fund of the state. The allocation made by the …