Waterloo Times

The 2022 Iowa State Legislative session has begun and this year Rep. Ann Meyer said that one of the top focuses of the Human Resources committee that she chairs is mental health access.

Department of Health and Human Services reported that the number of available psychiatric beds has decreased since 2017, to 712 from 747 beds. Meyer is in her second year as the chair of her committee which covers health policy. She said in her weekly newsletter that in preparation of the first week of the legislative session she spoke with constituents, law enforcement members, health systems, businesses and Gov. Kim Reynolds' policy staff.

“We have made progress every year tackling mental health issues, but we still have work to do,” Meyer said.

Four bills have been introduced to “aggressively address” the issues of mental health, and Meyer discussed them in her newsletter. 

HSB 531 increases the current capacity at both the Independence and Cherokee Mental Health Institutes by 50%, adding 32 adult beds and 14 child/adolescent beds. She said this is and area of the “most-difficult-to-place” patients.

HSB 532 funds 12 psychiatric residents per year. She said with Iowa ranking 44th in the country in psychiatrists per capita, this will increase the number of psychiatrists trained.

HSB 537 adds $1 million per year for loan forgiveness opportunities in an effort to retain new prescribing mental health providers.

HSB 530 has the Department of Human Services make a Medicaid rate for anyone needing a higher level of inpatient care.

“The introduction of these four bills to the Iowa House this week is the first step in the process to becoming law,” Meyer said. Increasing Iowans' access to mental health care has been my  priority since I was elected and will continue through the 2022 Legislative Session.” 

A main piece of Reynolds’ budget proposal of $8.2013 billion is to fund the Iowa mental health system. The state will provide $121.3 million to the mental health regions to ensure that Iowans with mental health and intellectual disabilities will be covered.

When Meyer was preparing for the session she also spoke with Speaker Patrick Grassley who said he is on board with making mental health a priority. Grassley said that he appreciated Meyer leading the undertaking.

“Speaker Grassley said this remains a priority for Iowa House Republicans this session, and I am thankful for his support!,” Meyer said.