Bill Text: IA HF234 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to reports filed with the court by mental health advocates for persons with mental health disorders. (Formerly HF 50.) Effective 7-1-17.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Passed) 2017-04-21 - Signed by Governor. H.J. 1142. [HF234 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2017-HF234-Introduced.html

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House File 234 - Introduced




                                 HOUSE FILE       
                                 BY  COMMITTEE ON HUMAN
                                     RESOURCES

                                 (SUCCESSOR TO HF 50)

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to reports filed with the court by mental
  2    health advocates for persons with mental health disorders.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
    TLSB 1564HV (2) 87
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PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 229.19, subsection 1, paragraph d,
  1  2 subparagraph (6), Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
  1  3    (6)  To file with the court quarterly reports, and additional
  1  4  reports as the advocate feels necessary or as required by the
  1  5 court, in a form prescribed by the court. The reports shall
  1  6 state what actions the advocate has taken with respect to each
  1  7 patient and the amount of time spent.
  1  8                           EXPLANATION
  1  9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  1 10 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  1 11    Under current law, a mental health advocate is required to
  1 12 file quarterly reports with the court and additional reports as
  1 13 the advocate feels necessary in a form prescribed by the court.
  1 14 A mental health advocate is appointed by the county board of
  1 15 supervisors in each county to represent the interests of a
  1 16 patient involuntarily hospitalized under Code chapter 229.
  1 17    This bill amends current law to require a mental health
  1 18 advocate to file reports only when the advocate feels a report
  1 19 is necessary or a report is required by the court, and does not
  1 20 require the court to prescribe a form for such reports.
  1 21    The bill also strikes the requirement that the advocate's
  1 22 report shall state what actions the advocate has taken with
  1 23 respect to each patient and the amount of time the advocate
  1 24 spent on those actions.
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