Iowa Republicans have laid out plans to improve access to mental health care in Iowa. Republican lawmaker Ann Meyer told reporters Tuesday morning that expanding mental health care is her top priority and she said that is especially important when some hospitals aren’t giving treatment to the patients who need it most.”They’re not accepting suicidal patients, they’re not accepting detox patients and they’re not accepting violent patients. These are the patients that end up in jail or sitting in the emergency room,” Rep. Meyer said.Rep. Meyer introduced four mental health bills last week.House Study Bill 531 would increase capacity in mental health institutes by 50%, adding 32 adult beds and 14 adolescent beds for Iowa’s most difficult-to-place mental health patients.House Study Bill 537 would add $1 million per year to expand loan forgiveness opportunities for new prescribing mental health providers in Iowa. House Study Bill 532 would establish 12 new psychiatric residency programs throughout the state through the University of Iowa, with the goal of increasing the number of psychiatrists trained in Iowa. House Study Bill 530 would require the Department of Human Services to establish a Medicaid rate for those needing a higher level of inpatient psychiatric care.Democrats have also expressed support. Rep. Timi Brown-Powers said she’s excited about the push for more mental health care but does have some concerns about where the funding will come from and if they’ll have enough hospital staff to meet patient needs.”We have a staff shortage so we need to make sure that Iowa is a welcoming state for our young people to come and practice. We need to make sure that we’re taking care of our health care workers, which we have not done really well, so they stay here in Iowa.”House Bill 532 advanced through subcommittee in a 3-0 vote Tuesday. A subcommittee will discuss House Study Bill 537 Wednesday.
Iowa Republicans have laid out plans to improve access to mental health care in Iowa.
Republican lawmaker Ann Meyer told reporters Tuesday morning that expanding mental health care is her top priority and she said that is especially important when some hospitals aren’t giving treatment to the patients who need it most.
“They’re not accepting suicidal patients, they’re not accepting detox patients and they’re not accepting violent patients. These are the patients that end up in jail or sitting in the emergency room,” Rep. Meyer said.
Rep. Meyer introduced four mental health bills last week.
House Study Bill 531 would increase capacity in mental health institutes by 50%, adding 32 adult beds and 14 adolescent beds for Iowa’s most difficult-to-place mental health patients.
House Study Bill 537 would add $1 million per year to expand loan forgiveness opportunities for new prescribing mental health providers in Iowa.
House Study Bill 532 would establish 12 new psychiatric residency programs throughout the state through the University of Iowa, with the goal of increasing the number of psychiatrists trained in Iowa.
House Study Bill 530 would require the Department of Human Services to establish a Medicaid rate for those needing a higher level of inpatient psychiatric care.
Democrats have also expressed support. Rep. Timi Brown-Powers said she’s excited about the push for more mental health care but does have some concerns about where the funding will come from and if they’ll have enough hospital staff to meet patient needs.
“We have a staff shortage so we need to make sure that Iowa is a welcoming state for our young people to come and practice. We need to make sure that we’re taking care of our health care workers, which we have not done really well, so they stay here in Iowa.”
House Bill 532 advanced through subcommittee in a 3-0 vote Tuesday. A subcommittee will discuss House Study Bill 537 Wednesday.
https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-republicans-state-legislature-lay-out-plans-to-improve-mental-health-care/38804345
