This bill focuses on improving child welfare and foster care regulations under the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It introduces 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 foster care, such as "fictive kin" and "foster family home," and updates the decision-making authority of individual licensees in foster care settings. Significant changes include replacing the term "licensed foster care provider" with "individual licensee" and emphasizing the confidentiality of child abuse information, while reinforcing that all child foster care providers must be licensed or approved by HHS.

Additionally, the bill addresses the confidentiality of dependent adult and child abuse information, allowing courts to authorize evaluations of suspected abuse cases and expanding access to financial records for dependent adults. It mandates that medical assistance program providers share information with HHS to help identify and 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 tax obligations for health maintenance organizations (HMOs) involved in the medical assistance program. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance protections for vulnerable populations and streamline HHS operations.

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