1. A mental health and disability services commission is created as the state policy-making body for the provision of services to persons with mental illness, an intellectual disability, other developmental disabilities, or brain injury. The commission’s voting members shall be appointed to three-year staggered terms by the governor and are subject to confirmation by the senate. Commission members shall be appointed on the basis of interest and experience in the fields of mental health, intellectual disability, other developmental disabilities, and brain injury, in a manner so as to ensure adequate representation from persons with disabilities and individuals knowledgeable concerning disability services. The department shall provide staff support to the commission, and the commission may utilize staff support and other assistance provided to the commission by other persons. The commission shall meet at least four times per year. The membership of the commission shall consist of the following persons who, at the time of appointment to the commission, are active members of the indicated groups:

 a. Three members shall be members of a county board of supervisors selected from nominees submitted by the county supervisor affiliate of the Iowa state association of counties.
 b. Two members shall be selected from nominees submitted by the director.
 c. One member shall be an active board member of a community mental health center selected from nominees submitted by the Iowa association of community providers.
 d. One member shall be an active board member of an agency serving persons with a developmental disability selected from nominees submitted by the Iowa association of community providers.
 e. One member shall be a board member or employee of a provider of mental health or developmental disabilities services to children.
 f. Two members shall be staff members of regional administrators selected from nominees submitted by the community services affiliate of the Iowa state association of counties.
 g. One member shall be selected from nominees submitted by the state’s council of the association of federal, state, county, and municipal employees.
 h. Three members shall be service consumers or family members of service consumers. Of these members, one shall be a service consumer, one shall be a parent of a child service consumer, and one shall be a parent or other family member of a person admitted to and living at a state resource center.
 i. Two members shall be selected from nominees submitted by service advocates. Of these members, one shall be an active member of a statewide organization for persons with brain injury.
 j. One member shall be an active board member of an agency serving persons with a substance abuse problem selected from nominees submitted by the Iowa behavioral health association.
 k. One member shall be a military veteran who is knowledgeable concerning the behavioral and mental health issues of veterans.
 l. In addition to the voting members, the membership shall include four members of the general assembly with one member designated by each of the following: the majority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of representatives. A legislative member serves for a term as provided in section 69.16B in an ex officio, nonvoting capacity and is eligible for per diem and expenses as provided in section 2.10.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 225C.5

  • Child: includes but shall not be limited to a stepchild, foster child, or legally adopted child and means a child actually or apparently under eighteen years of age, and a dependent person eighteen years of age or over who is unable to maintain the person's self and is likely to become a public charge. See Iowa Code 252A.2
  • children: means a person or persons under eighteen years of age. See Iowa Code 225C.2
  • Commission: means the mental health and disability services commission. See Iowa Code 225C.2
  • Consumer: means any one of the following:
     a. See Iowa Code 216E.1
  • Department: means the department of human services. See Iowa Code 225C.2
  • Director: means the director of human services. See Iowa Code 225C.2
  • Disability services: means services and other support available to a person with mental illness, an intellectual disability or other developmental disability, or brain injury. See Iowa Code 225C.2
  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Intellectual disability: means a diagnosis of intellectual disability or intellectual developmental disorder, global developmental delay, or unspecified intellectual disability or intellectual developmental disorder which diagnosis shall be made only when the onset of the person's condition was during the developmental period and based on an assessment of the person's intellectual functioning and level of adaptive skills. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Majority leader: see Floor Leaders
  • Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • persons with mental illness: include persons with psychosis, persons who are severely depressed, and persons with any type of mental disease or mental disorder, except that mental illness does not refer to intellectual disability, or to insanity, diminished responsibility, or mental incompetency as defined and used in the Iowa criminal code or in the rules of criminal procedure, Iowa court rules. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. The three-year terms shall begin and end as provided in section 69.19. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled as provided in section 2.32. A member shall not be appointed for more than two consecutive three-year terms.
 3. Members of the commission shall qualify by taking the oath of office prescribed by law for state officers. At its first meeting of each year, the commission shall organize by electing a chairperson and a vice chairperson for terms of one year. Commission members are entitled to a per diem as specified in section 7E.6 and reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred while engaged in their official duties, to be paid from funds appropriated to the department.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 225C Contents