DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – A bill working its way through the Iowa legislature aims to break the cycle of repeated hospitalizations and homelessness for people with mental illness. One mental health advocate says it will save lives.
Leslie Carpenter with Iowa Mental Health Advocacy says far too often people who struggle with mental illness are released from the hospital without any supports. The practice, she says, is called “streeting”.
“I know of one case where the parents were guardians for their daughter and she was discharged from the hospital. They were never notified, so they were not there able to help provide support and who they received a notification from was actually the police. They came to notify them them that she had died by suicide,” she said.
A bill working its way through the Iowa legislature seeks to change this.
When hospitals go to discharge a patient who was involuntarily committed, House File 385 requires they provide a 15 day supply of medication for that patient. The bill also requires hospitals to provide the patients with paperwork that includes dates and times for follow up appointments and how to stick with treatment. It also requires hospitals to notify the court and family members that their loved one is set to be released.
“It requires an accountability and a responsibility to discharge the person with reasonable communication and care coordination to stop and limit the possibility of that person going back off their medications and out of treatment and deteriorating over and over again,” she said.
Thursday, the bill passed out of the Iowa House unanimously.
Rep. Eddie Andrews (R-Johnston) said, “This bill will help us to pause the revolving door of repeated hospitalizations to lessen homelessness, incarceration, and victimization of people with severe mental illnesses here in Iowa.”
Rep. Timi Brown-Powers (D-Waterloo) said, “Hopefully this is going to save some lives and aid in the families as they look for other resources in the communities.”
Carpenter likens the bill to putting a foot in the revolving door of homelessness and hospitalizations for people who struggle with severe mental illnesses.
She hopes the Iowa Senate and Governor Kim Reynolds agree.
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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at [email protected]; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV on X/Twitter @ConnerReports, and on TikTok @ConnerReports.
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