226.1 Official designation — definitions. 1. The state hospitals for persons with mental illness shall be designated as follows: a. Mental Health Institute, Independence, Iowa. b. Mental Health Institute, Cherokee, Iowa. 2. a. The purpose of the mental health institutes is to operate as regional resource centers providing one or more of the following: (1) […]
226.10 Equal treatment. The patients of the state mental health institutes, according to their different conditions of mind and body, and their respective needs, shall be provided for and treated with equal care. If in addition to mental illness a patient has a co-occurring intellectual disability, brain injury, or substance abuse disorder, the care provided […]
226.11 Special care permitted. Patients may have such special care as may be agreed upon with the superintendent, if the friends or relatives of the patient will pay the expense thereof. Charges for such special care and attendance shall be paid quarterly in advance. [C73, §1420, 1421; C97, §2284, 2285; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, […]
226.12 Monthly reports. The administrator shall assure that the superintendent of each institute provides monthly reports concerning the programmatic, environmental, and fiscal condition of the institute. The administrator or the administrator’s designee shall periodically visit each institute to validate the information. [C73, §1435, 1441; C97, §2299; SS15, §2727-a11; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §3494; C46, […]
226.13 Patients allowed to write. The name and address of the administrator shall be kept posted in every ward in each hospital. Every patient shall be allowed to write once a week what the patient pleases to said administrator and to any other person. The superintendent may send letters addressed to other parties to the […]
226.14 Writing material. Every patient shall be furnished by the superintendent or party having charge of such person, at least once in each week, with suitable materials for writing, enclosing, sealing, and mailing letters, if the patient requests and uses the same. [C73, §1437; C97, §2301; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §3496; C46, 50, 54, […]
226.15 Letters to administrator. The superintendent or other officer in charge of a patient shall, without reading the same, receive all letters addressed to the administrator, if so requested, and shall properly mail the same, and deliver to such patient all letters or other writings addressed to the patient. Letters written to the person so […]
226.16 Unauthorized departure and retaking. It shall be the duty of the superintendent and of all other officers and employees of any of said hospitals, in case of the unauthorized departure of any involuntarily hospitalized patient, to exercise all due diligence to take into protective custody and return said patient to the hospital. A notification […]
226.17 Expense attending retaking. All actual and necessary expenses incurred in the taking into protective custody, restraint, and return to the hospital of the patient shall be paid on itemized vouchers, sworn to by the claimants and approved by the business manager and the administrator, from any moneys in the state treasury not otherwise appropriated. […]
226.18 Investigation as to mental health. The administrator may investigate the mental condition of any patient and shall discharge any person, if, in the administrator’s opinion, such person is not mentally ill, or can be cared for after such discharge without danger to others, and with benefit to the patient; but in determining whether such […]
226.19 Discharge — certificate. 1. Every patient shall be discharged in accordance with the procedure prescribed in section 229.3 or section 229.16, whichever is applicable, immediately on regaining the patient’s good mental health. 2. If a patient’s care is the financial responsibility of the state or a county, as part of the patient’s discharge planning […]
226.2 Qualifications of superintendent. The superintendent of each institute must be qualified by experience and training in the administration of human service programs. A physician shall not serve as both superintendent and business manager. A hospital administrator or other person qualified in business management appointed superintendent may also be designated to perform the duties of […]
226.22 Clothing furnished. Upon such discharge the business manager shall furnish such person, unless otherwise supplied, with suitable clothing and a sum of money not exceeding twenty dollars, which shall be charged with the other expenses of such patient in the hospital. [R60, §1485; C73, §1424; C97, §2288; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §3504; C46, […]
226.23 Convalescent leave of patients. Upon the recommendation of the superintendent and in accordance with section 229.15, subsection 5, in the case of an involuntary patient, the administrator may place on convalescent leave said patient for a period not to exceed one year, under such conditions as are prescribed by said administrator. [C73, §1424; C97, […]
226.26 Dangerous patients. The administrator, on the recommendation of the superintendent, and on the application of the relatives or friends of a patient who is not cured and who cannot be safely allowed to go at liberty, may release the patient when fully satisfied that the relatives or friends will provide and maintain all necessary […]
226.27 Patient accused or acquitted of crime or awaiting judgment. If a patient was committed to a state hospital for evaluation or treatment under chapter 812 or the rules of criminal procedure, further proceedings shall be had under chapter 812 or the applicable rule when the evaluation has been completed or the patient has regained […]
226.3 Assistant physicians. The assistant physicians shall be of such character and qualifications as to be able to perform the ordinary duties of the superintendent during the superintendent’s absence or inability to act. [R60, §1432; C73, §1394; C97, §2260; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §3485; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, […]
226.30 Transfer of dangerous patients. When a patient of any hospital for persons with mental illness becomes incorrigible and unmanageable to such an extent that the patient is dangerous to the safety of others in the hospital, the administrator, with the consent of the director of the Iowa department of corrections, may apply in writing […]
226.31 Examination by court — notice. Before granting the order authorized in section 226.30, the court or judge shall investigate the allegations of the petition and before proceeding to a hearing on the allegations shall require notice to be served on the attorney who represented the patient in any prior proceedings under sections 229.6 through […]
226.32 Overcrowded conditions. The administrator shall order the discharge or removal from the hospital of incurable and harmless patients whenever it is necessary to make room for recent cases. If a patient who is to be so discharged entered the hospital voluntarily, the administrator shall notify the regional administrator for the county interested at least […]
