Bills Associated with Iowa Psychological Association

Allows any interested person to file an involuntary commitment substance abuse proceeding application in any county. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Sets up a process for spending opioid settlement funds.  Annually appropriates 75% of opioid settlement funds to the Iowa Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the remaining 25% to the Iowa Attorney General (AG).  Allows unspent funds to carry forward util June 30, 2030 (when all funds are to be spent). Requires the behavioral heath administrative services organization (BH-ASO) to submit recommendations to HHS and the AG on use of funds, after consultation with the BH district advisory boards. Includes a lengthy list of requirements the AG and HHS is to consider in evaluating the recommendations, including identifying indicators and outcomes that are to be used to measure success. Requires annual reporting each November 1 with 1) information on use of fund, including intended outcomes of each grant; 2) input from each advisory council; and 3) list of current opioid-related initiatives within each BH district funded with settlement funds (including funds received from local governments). Recipients can only receive one grant annually from the opioid settlement fund. Funds do not have to be distributed equally among behavioral health districts. Caps HHS and AG use of settlement funds for administrative costs at 2.5%. Appropriates $29 million from the opioid settlement fund to be distributed prior to June 30, 2025 for the following: $3 million to HHS for YSS/Ember (Cambridge) for a recovery focus high school; $5 million to HHS for USC (Des Moines) for expanded medication assisted treatment; $1.5 million to BH-ASO for FlowState (Council Bluffs) to expand its jail-based services; $2 million to HHS for AGAPE (Sioux City) for recovery housing and recovery cafe; $2 million to BH-ASO for contracts with SEIDA (Ottumwa), Pathways (Waterloo), ASAC (Cedar Rapids), and ADDS (Burlington) for post overdose response (LORE); $4.5 million to HHS for Full Circle Recovery (Council Bluffs/Des Moines), Center of Attention (Waterloo), CRUSH (Cedar Rapids), Rise Recovery (Des Moines), and Rediscover (Clinton) for recovery community centers; $1.5 million to HHS for Barikiwa (Des Moines) and Once City United (Waterloo) for recovery cafes; $1.5 million to HHS for House of Mercy (Des Moines), ASAC (Cedar Rapids), Rosecrance Jackson (Sioux City), and Heartland (Council Bluffs) for women-focused recovery respite; $3 million to HHS for CFR (Fort Dodge) for a treatment campus on the East Side of Des Moines; $2 million to HHS to Vera French (Davenport) for supportive housing; and $3 million to HHS for recovery housing (HHS will issue an RFP for these funds). Earmarked funds are to be fully obligated by 6/30/2027.  Of these earmarks, $2.375 million goes to BH District 1; no funds go to BH District 2 or 3; $2.325 million goes to BH District 4; $13.475 million goes to BH District 5; $500,000 goes to BH District 6; and $7.325 million goes to BH District 7. Retroactive to 7/1/2024. You can read the nonpartisan fiscal staff review of this bill at:https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1528030.pdf.

Appropriates $2.47 billion for Medicaid and other health/human services programs for fiscal year 2026, an increase of $255.9 million. Also appropriates $457.2 million from other funds, a decrease of $11.2 million.  Veteran Affairs: No change for veterans' homeownership assistance program ($2.2 million). Aging/Disability Services:  Increases funding by $119,466 for general operating expenses. No changes in funding for area agencies on aging, family support program, and Conner Decree training. Behavioral Health: No change in funding ($24.4 million), including use of sport wagering fund to pay for problem gambling treatment and prevention ($1.75 million).  Public Health: Increases funding by $95,548 for operating expenses and adds $20,000 in new funds for free radon testing kits for homeowners and renters. Transfers $214,000 to the Education Budget for residencies and health care loan repayment program consolidation. No change in funding for SafeNetRX ($600,000), rural health clinics ($25,000), free clinics ($374,000, which includes the $40,000 needed annually for electronic prescribing fees), and Polk County Medical Society's specialty care network ($225,000). Reduces funding for rural psychiatric residencies by $200,000 ($600,000 total). Adds new appropriation of $2.3 million for Medicaid graduate medical education efforts (per Governor's rural health bill, HF 972).  Community Access:  Increases funding by $498,512 for general operating expenses. No change in funding for this division as well as First Five and Volunteer Iowa.  Temporary Aid for Needy Families/TANF Block Grant:  Increase of $20 million for TANF-related purposes ($25 million total). Increases funding for child protective services by $3 million ($65.4 million total). No change in funding for pregnancy prevention grants ($1.9 million); PROMISE Jobs/FIP ($12.99 million); child abuse prevention grants and FADDS ($3.01 million); and child care assistance ($47.2 million). Note child abuse prevention grants (previously funded at $125,000) is no longer an item but is merged with FADDS appropriation. Medicaid: Increase funding for Medicaid by $252.7 million. This includes increases to address the anticipated Medicaid shortfall ($210.5 million); children's insurance program/Hawki shortfall ($19.9 million); increase nursing home reimbursement ($20 million); increase dental provider rates ($2.1 million); unbundle maternal health care rates ($420,000); increase prosthetic reimbursement rates ($295,000); increase the monthly personal needs allowance for people living in ICF/nursing homes from $50 to $55/month ($330,513); and increase rates for intermittent community-based services like supported community living, day habilitation, employment, and respite ($3.05 million).  Eliminates $800,000 earmark for nursing facility renovation/construction. Medicaid funding is also adjusted to compensate for increased federal reimbursement ($3 million) for certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs). Prohibits any Medicaid funds to be used for gender reassignment surgery or hormone replacement therapy (behavioral health services to those with gender dysphoria are still allowed). Establishes a new Nursing Facility Bed Forecasting Formula Work Group to make recommendations for a forecasting formula to ensure a sufficient number of nursing facility beds are available to meet future demand. The work group is to include representatives of nursing homes, MCOs, HHS and DIAL (and any other appropriate stakeholders).  Requires HHS to implement the recommended formula by July 1, 2026. Requires HHS to come up with a new Medicaid reimbursement methodology for nursing homes that includes a base rate payment, quality assurance assessment pass-through, and quality assurance add-on that includes a fixed fee payment and quality-based payment (to be implemented by April 1, 2026). No change in family planning services, state supplementary assistance/SSA, and state poison control center.  State Child Care Assistance: Small increase ($16,069) for child care assistance ($34.98 million total). Early Intervention & Supports: Increases funding by $24,165 (total $35.3 million). No changes in funding for Early Childhood Iowa ($29,256,799).  Child Protective Services: Moves $1 million in funding for the MOMS program to a different HHS division.  Increases to increase youth provider (QRTP) provider rates ($3,245,594) and shelter reimbursements ($1,590,842). Increases foster care and adoption subsidies by 5% ($456,997). No changes in funding for decategorization ($1,717,000); court-ordered services ($748,000); child protection centers ($1,658,000); Preparation for Adult Living/PAL ($4,359,500); and Project Harmony supporting victims of child abuse ($227,000). State Specialty Care: Increases funding for state mental health institutions (MHIs) by $4.7 million and Woodward State Resource Center by $415,155 ($14.4 million total). Glenwood State Resource Center funding is reduced by $3.67 million (leaving $1.6 million to maintain the now vacant facility). Increases funding for the Eldora State Training School by $856,520 ($20.5 million total).  HHS Administration: Moves the $875,000 appropriation for Criminal & Juvenile Justice Planning to the Department of Management. No change in funding for the Long Term Care Ombudsman ($1.2 million) and ABLE account administration ($200,000).  Allows HHS to retain any unspent money for the next fiscal year, including Thrive Iowa unspent funds. Gives HHS emergency rule-making authority to implement this bill.  Beer & Liquor Fund: Reduces funds going to HHS from this fund by $2 million, which then increases the funds going into the general fund. This change is retroactive to 7/1/2024. Policy:  Codifies the hospital directed payment program (the "provider tax" that is matched with federal funds to increase hospital reimbursement). No change in juvenile detention fund formula. Takes effect July 1, 2025. You can review the nonpartisan fiscal staff review of this budget at: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1528947.pdf.

Distributes anticipated federal block grants for federal fiscal years (FFY) 2026 and 2027. Distributes funds from the following federal block grants and formula grants: substance abuse, community mental health services, maternal and child health services, community development, preventive health services, residential substance abuse treatment for state prisoners, Byrne memorial justice assistance, community services, surface transportation, low income home energy assistance (LIHEAP), social services, projects for assistance in transition from homelessness (PATH), and child care and development.  Moves TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) block grant distribution to HHS Budget. Changes LIHEAP administrative cap to reflect the changes in management of system between Iowa HHS and community action agencies.  Continues 70% set-aside for community mental health centers (CMHCs) for the first fiscal year (until September 30, 2026) but requires treatment billing to through Iowa HHS' claims system. Also adds a provision prohibiting a city from regulating developers, contractors, or subcontractors unless otherwise required by federal law (effective June 11, 2025, retroactive to March 28, 2025). The rest of the bill takes effect July 1, 2025. You can read the non-partisan fiscal staff review of this bill at: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1528872.pdf.

Appropriates $1.033 billion to the Department of Education, health professional shortage programs, community colleges, and state universities for fiscal year 2026, an increase of $14.1 million. Also appropriates $33.7 million from other funds, a decrease of $325,000. Department for the Blind: Increase of $120,019 (total $3,207,190). Department of Education: Increases administration funds by $151,558 (total $7,073,808). Cuts funding for special education in half ($5 million), but funds the other half ($5 million) from the sports wagering fund in SF 660. Increases funding for public broadcasting by $50,000 ($8.17 million total) for additional programming costs and Jobs for America's Graduates by $300,000 ($9.95 million total) to expand programs to other schools. No change in funding for career/technical education, birth to age three services, child health specialty clinics, early head start, work-based learning clearinghouse, early warning system for literacy, early reading programs, reading research center, school-based mental health services ($3,383,936), Best Buddies ($35,000), STEM initiative, therapeutic classrooms ($2,351,382), LEAD-K ($200,000), Last Dollar Scholarships ($23.9 million), Future Ready Iowa skilled workforce grant program ($425,000), and Iowa workforce grant & incentive fund ($6.5 million). Adds new $265,000 line item for an online job posting site for the Department, AEAs, charter schools, and public and nonpublic schools. Eliminates funding for the Health Care Professional Recruitment Program ($500,973), Rural Iowa Primary Care Loan Repayment Program ($2,629,933), Health Care Loan Repayment Program ($500,000), and the Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program ($520,000).  Replaces these programs with a $7,985,911 combined Health Care Professional Incentive Program (increase of $3,621,005 for health care incentive programs).  Skilled Worker Fund: No change in funding for skilled workforce shortage tuition grants ($5 million), workforce training and economic development funds ($15.1 million), community college infrastructure ($6 million), gap tuition assistance ($2 million), and STEM Best ($700,000).  Cuts funding for workforce preparation outcome reporting by $125,000 (leaving $75,000, but an additional $125,000 is appropriated for this through the Economic Development Budget). Eliminates $200,000 line item for regional industry sector partnerships but retains the funding for the main (Pathways/PACE) program. School for Deaf/Services for the Blind & Low Vision: Increases funding for the School for the Deaf by $342,391 and for low-vision/blind services by $98,278.  Community Colleges & State Universities: Increases funding for community colleges by $7.5 million ($243.4 million total), but eliminates the line items for each community college. No changes to funding state universities except $1 million for ISU's Agricultural Experiment Station; $1 million to UNI for a new center for Civic Education; and $1 million increase for the University of Iowa to prepare an Iowa Cancer Assessment and Intervention Plan in coordination with Iowa HHS.  The UI project is to identify potential causes of Iowa's high cancer rates and recommend policies to enhance prevention/screening, raise public awareness, and integrate evidence-based findings into existing initiatives. Appropriation for this is contingent on the University of Iowa agreeing to the state's contractual terms. Suspends the standing appropriation ($2.75 million) for college work study programs. Caps the standing appropriation for at-risk children at $10.5 million (same as current year). Other:  Creates a new court reporter equipment grant program ($50,000). Adds new $1 million appropriation for the University of Iowa Center for Intellectual Freedom (if HF 437 is signed into law). Sets up a new Iowa Tuition Grants Fund ($1.1 million increase - total $53.8 million); Iowa Tuition Grants For-Profit Institutions Fund ($2,214 increase - total of $112,914); and Vocational-Technical Tuition Grants Fund (no change in funding - total $1.75 million). Repeals the Scholarship & Tuition Grant Reserve Fund.  Allows interest/earnings from various education funds to be retained in the fund.  Takes effect July 1, 2025. Read the nonpartisan fiscal staff review at:https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/NOBA/1527536.pdf.  LINE ITEM VETO:  The Governor vetoed the $1.5 million that the Legislature had appropriated to UNI to give border state students in-state tuition. You can read her veto message at: https://governor.iowa.gov/media/454/download?inline.

Makes changes related to services and support for youth. Division I: Sets up the regulatory structure for a specialized psychiatric medical institution for children (PMIC) that provides behavioral health (including substance use) treatment to children and youth up to age 21 with serious emotional disturbance. Exempts beds for this type of care from caps. Allows juvenile court to order a physical and behavioral health evaluation at any time after adjudication. While most evaluations are to be on an outpatient basis, the court can order inpatient evaluation for up to 30 days. Allows the court to order treatment if the evaluation indicates it is needed. Allows the use of Eldora Training School to perform 30-day inpatient evaluations for boys (nothing listed for girls).  Division II: Allows 16- and 17-year-olds to be treated in an adult facility (Iowa HHS says other rules will continue to require separation form adults even though it is not stated in the bill). Division III: Changes how Chief Juvenile Court Officers are appointed (by the Director of Juvenile Court Services instead of the Chief Judge) and moves more duties to the Director.  Division IV:  Suspends (rather than terminates) Medicaid coverage while a child/youth is institutionalized or in a correctional facility (including juvenile detention) after the initial 30 days placement. Division V: Corrective and conforming changes. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Adds individuals working or volunteering to offer education at a hospital or rural emergency hospital to the health care providers covered under enhanced assault protections. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Requires dental carriers to disclose to providers that a plan is state-regulated. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Allows an individual with a doctorate in psychology with specialty training in neuropsychology or concussion management to determine when a student should be removed from school sports. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Requires the University of Iowa to adopt policies: 1) requiring at least 80% of accepted dental and medical school students be Iowa residents or graduates of Iowa colleges and 2) giving Iowa residents priority in dental and medical school admissions. Requires UI medical and dental school applications and residency applications include the following checklists: 1) I was born in Iowa or attended an Iowa high school; 2) I have family members or in-laws who live in Iowa, or I graduated from an Iowa college; 3). I have lived in a rural community similar to rural Iowa communities; 4) none of the above apply to men but I'm interested in practicing in Iowa after graduation; and 5) none of the above apply to me but I'm interested in pursing a residency at the University of Iowa. Requires the University of Iowa to annually report: 1) number of applicants who were Iowa residents and 2) number of Iowa residents not accepted and a brief reason why. Defines "Iowa resident'" as someone graduating from an Iowa high school or a person who has lived in Iowa for four consecutive years right before applying. Requires annual reporting on: 1) states where graduates of the programs live one year post-graduation and 2) states where primary care and specialty care medical residents reside after leaving the University of Iowa's residency programs (and whether they accepted fellowships). Requires the University of Iowa to give Iowans preference in residencies and fellowships, and report back to the Legislature. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Requires schools to have at least one school employee who is trained to administer or assist with self-administration of a seizure medication. Requires schools to provide training by December 31, 2026, to all personnel on how to recognize the signs of seizure and first aid steps. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Requires age-appropriate pregnancy and fetal development education for students in grades 5-12 to include human biology related to pregnancy; human development inside the womb; a high definition ultrasound video showing the development of the brain, heart, and other vital organs in early fetal development; and high-quality computer-generated rendering/animation or ultra-sound showing the "humanity of the unborn child" and every stage of human development (fertilization to birth). Eliminates requirements that human growth and development information be endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, American Public Health Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, or the National Association of School Nurses and that it be "free of racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and gender biases." Prohibits "age-appropriate and research-based instruction" to include anything produced or provided by an entity that performs or promotes abortion care, contracts/subcontracts/affiliates with such a group, or regularly makes referrals to such a group. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Requires all school districts assemble multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to improve school safety and flag students in distress for services and appropriate interventions. Permits information sharing between agencies and gives schools civil immunity. Supported by school boards, teachers, and children's groups. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Prohibits state and local governmental agencies and subdivisions, community colleges, and private colleges from using funds to support diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or hire DEI officers. Private colleges that continue to support DEI offices, staff and activities would be ineligible for Iowa Tuition Grant funds. Takes effect May 27, 2025.

Establishes the dietician licensure compact allowing licensed dieticians to practice in other participating states without applying for a license in that state. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Requires a health insurer to respond to a provider's request for credentialing within 56 calendar days. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Creates a special classification within the residential care facility (RCF0 category for hospice and respite (and allows reference as pediatric palliative care center). This is a new model of care for patients under 21 with chronic, complex and life-threatening illnesses and are not expected to live past 21.  Iowa would be the first country to enact such legislation; and allows them to be eligible for funding as other residential care and hospice programs that treat individuals with illness and disability (SSBG, SSA, HCBS waivers, Medicaid, and respite/hospice funding). Named after Mason Sieck, who died at the age of seven from a rare disease called "Gardner's Syndrome." His family had to drive five hours out of state to find a children's respite, palliative care, and hospice home to provide the specialized care they needed.  Allows HHS to adopt emergency rules to expedite the process of licensing these facilities, effective May 27, 2025.

Directs the state to develop hub and spoke models in rural health delivery, merges all health professional loan repayment and recruitment/retention programs and creates a uniform set of elibility criteria (most details left to Iowa HHS), makes changes to expand residency and fellowship programs to add more than 55 residencies, eliminates the health facilities council and moves certiicate of need determinations to Iowa HHS, and requires Iowa HHS to rebid the Health Information Network, bringing more control back into the state.

Requires a utilization review organization to respond to a request for a prior authorization within 48 hours for urgent requests and 10 days for non-urgent requests, and 15 days for unusual or complex circumstances or during periods with a high volume of requests. Utilization review organizations are to report the following to the Insurance Commissioner: 1) total number and percentage of prior authorizations approved and denied (listed by urgent, non-urgent, or special conditions); and 2) average time elapsed between request for prior authorization and decision (broken down by urgent and non urgent).  Requires utilization review organizations to annually review all prior authorizations and eliminate the requirement for those approved frequently and report on these fundings, including a list of prior authorizations that had at least 80% approval in past 12 months. Allows prior authorization complaints to be made directly to the Insurance Commissioner (but the complaints are not subject to public records laws).  Takes effect July 1, 2025.

No longer allows health insurance companies to put age limits and caps on payment for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders.  Iowa law allows insurance companies to limit treatment appointments, cap total annual benefits at $30,000, and exclude adults over age 21. This bill no longer allows these restrictions. Takes effect July 1, 2025 and applies to any insurance plan renewed/started on or after January 1, 2026.

Prohibits state and local governmental agencies and subdivisions, community colleges, and private colleges from using funds to support diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or hire DEI officers. Private colleges that continue to support DEI offices, staff and activities would be ineligible for Iowa Tuition Grant funds. Takes effect May 27, 2025.

Requires individuals with health insurance through the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHWP) to work at least 80 hours each month (or earn the equivalent of 80 hours x state minimum hourly wage, which would be $580/month earned).  The IHWP is the "expansion population" allowed under the Affordable Care Act, which granted people without children who earn less than 133% of the federal poverty level access to this limited Medicaid benefit plan (benefits same as state employee health plan). Includes exemptions for people who have a high risk pregnancy, are caring for a child under the age of six, children/youth under age 19, older Iowans (age 65+), persons determined to be disabled by SSA, medically frail or medically exempt individuals, people receiving unemployment compensation, and people who are in a residential substance use treatment program (up to six months).  It also allows Iowa HHS to determine other reasons for exceptions. There is also trigger language in this bill that ends the IHWP if the federal government does not approve of work requirements.  It also requires Iowa HHS to work with the US HHS and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to align requirement rules for participants in public assistance programs, including SNAP (food assistance) and employment/training programs. Creates an Information Technology Fund to help pay for HHS information technology system modernization projects and upgrades and transfers funds in the public assistance modernization fund into this fund. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Enhances penalties from "D" to "C" felony for assaults against first responders, law enforcement, correctional officers and health care workers.  Adds juvenile detention workers and individuals who are employees of the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing.  Adds spitting on  a protected workers (aggravated misdemeanor and mandatory seven days in jail).  Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Eliminates protections for gender identity under the Iowa civil rights act and makes changes to the definitions of "sex" and "gender" to align with assigned sex at birth. States that "equal" does not mean the "same" or "identical." States that separate accommodations are not inherently unequal. Does not give transgender individuals equal protections in prisons, detention centers, rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, locker rooms, or restrooms. Requires all vital statistic collections to be done by identifying "female" and "male" only, including birth certificates. Gives parents of a child born intersex six months to consult with health care providers before listing a sex on the birth certificate. Eliminates the ability of a transgender person to change the sex listed on their birth certificate. Requires all new or reissued birth certificates to list the sex of the person at birth. Explicitly states that "Gender Identity" is not a substitute for "gender" or "sex." Updates Iowa's school curriculum bans on gender identity, using the new term "gender theory." Gender theory is defined as the idea that a person may be described in terms of an internal sense of gender that is incongruent with the individual's sex as either male or female.  This update  means no gender theory can be included in K-12 curricula. Includes severability language in the event the courts strike down some part of the bill. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

in collecting vital statistics, and school curriculum. Takes effect July 1, 2025.

Makes changes to HHS, including administrative services organization (ASO), child foster care, child and dependent adult abuse, MH/DS services und, HMO premium taxes, and more. ASO: Excludes employees of the behavioral health ASO from IPERS and projects the ASO from acting as a county's mental health advocate.  Foster Care: Allows child support payments to be applied to HHS if a child is placed with fictive kin or a relative, if the kin/relative are not licensed foster care providers. Child/Dependent Adult Abuse: Allows a community-based organization to apply for and receive funds for child abuse prevention (opening the sole source contract). Makes child and dependent adult abuse information confidential.  Adds to the definition of "exploitation of a dependent adult" to include use of resources for monetary or personal benefit, profit or gain. Requires Medicaid providers to share information necessary to identify, prevent and respond to child and dependent adult abuse.  MH/DS Regional Incentive Fund: Appropriates funds as needed guarantee continuity of care to persons transferring services from the MH/DS regional system to the new BH services system. Funds will be distributed to the ASO for startup expenses, which are not attributed to their administrative cost limit.  Transfers any unobligated funds at the end of the year (6/30/2025) to the behavioral health fund.  Other: Makes information gathered from an HHS audit or examination confidential. Changes HMO premium tax. Takes effect July 1, 2025 (except MH/DS Regional Incentive Fund changes, which are retroactive back to July 1, 2024).

Gives state employees covered by the Family Medical Leave Act paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child if taken within 12 months of birth or adoption (available after four years of employment). Adoptive parents and a parent who gave birth can take up to four weeks of paid leave; the non-birthing parent can take up to one week paid leave.  Takes effect July 1, 2025.