Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill on Wednesday to revamp the state’s mental health system and improve care coordination. The new system consolidates services into one unified behavioral health system, with each of the seven districts having a lead agency and an advisory board to maintain local connections. There will also be a standard set of core services that each district must provide to ensure consistency in care across the state.
Reynolds made the announcement at the Iowa Utility Association’s DEV24 conference at the Double Tree Hotel and Convention Center, expressing her pride in the bipartisan support the bill received from the legislature. In a statement released after signing the bill, Reynolds highlighted the benefits of this change, including improved care coordination and better outcomes for individuals in need of assistance.
In addition to signing the mental health overhaul bill, Reynolds also signed off on two more bills later that afternoon. One bill prohibits misleading food labels on certain products, while the other bill aims to protect producers by reinstating the livestock capital gains deduction. Overall, these legislative changes are expected to have a positive impact on mental health and substance abuse services in Iowa.
