This bill introduces significant amendments to Iowa's child welfare and foster care laws under the Department of Health and Human Services. It includes the addition of a new subparagraph to Section 97B.1A, recognizing employees of administrative services organizations, and revises the appointment process for advocates representing involuntarily hospitalized patients due to mental illness. The bill clarifies definitions related to child foster care, such as "fictive kin" and "foster family home," and updates the decision-making authority of individual licensees in foster care settings. Notably, the term "licensed foster care provider" is replaced with "individual licensee," and the bill emphasizes the importance of maintaining confidentiality regarding child abuse information while outlining penalties for unlicensed child foster care.

Additionally, the bill addresses the confidentiality of dependent adult and child abuse information, allowing courts to authorize evaluations of suspected dependent adults and expanding access to their financial records. It establishes that dependent adult abuse information is confidential, with exceptions for authorized personnel, and mandates that medical assistance program providers share information with HHS to help prevent abuse. The bill also appropriates funds from the region incentive fund to support individuals transitioning from mental health services to behavioral health services and modifies the tax percentage for health maintenance organizations on premiums. The provisions of this bill take effect immediately upon enactment and have retroactive applicability to specified dates in 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 97B.1A, 229.19, 229.14, 232.78, 232.95, 232.102, 234.1, 232.2, 237.1, 237.3, 237A.1, 237.4, 237.9, 217.30, 237.12, 237.13, 237.15, 237A.3A, 237C.1, 237C.3, 282.19, 414.22, 423.3, 235A.1, 235A.15, 235B.2, 235B.3, 235B.6, 249A.4, 232.68, 225C.7A, 432.1B