2011 Iowa Code
TITLE VI HUMAN SERVICES
SUBTITLE 3 MENTAL HEALTH
CHAPTER 222 PERSONS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION
222.13A Voluntary admissions — minors.

222.13A Voluntary admissions minors.

1. If a minor is believed to be a person with mental retardation, the minor s parent, guardian, or custodian may request the county board of supervisors to apply for admission of the minor as a voluntary patient in a state resource center. If the resource center does not have appropriate services for the minor s treatment, the board of supervisors may arrange for the admission of the minor in a public or private facility within or without the state, approved by the director of human services, which offers appropriate services for the minor s treatment.

2. Upon receipt of an application for voluntary admission of a minor, the board of supervisors shall provide for a preadmission diagnostic evaluation of the minor to confirm or establish the need for the admission. The preadmission diagnostic evaluation shall be performed by a person who meets the qualifications of a qualified mental retardation professional who is designated through the central point of coordination process.

3. During the preadmission diagnostic evaluation, the minor shall be informed both orally and in writing that the minor has the right to object to the voluntary admission. If the preadmission diagnostic evaluation determines that the voluntary admission is appropriate but the minor objects to the admission, the minor shall not be admitted to the state resource center unless the court approves of the admission. A petition for approval of the minor s admission may be submitted to the juvenile court by the minor s parent, guardian, or custodian.

4. As soon as practicable after the filing of a petition for approval of the voluntary admission, the court shall determine whether the minor has an attorney to represent the minor in the proceeding. If the minor does not have an attorney, the court shall assign to the minor an attorney. If the minor is unable to pay for an attorney, the attorney shall be compensated by the county at an hourly rate to be established by the county board of supervisors in substantially the same manner as provided in section 815.7.

5. The court shall order the admission of a minor who objects to the admission, only after a hearing in which it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that both of the following circumstances exist:

a. The minor needs and will substantially benefit from treatment or habilitation.

b. A placement which involves less restriction of the minor s liberties for the purposes of treatment or habilitation is not feasible.

95 Acts, ch 82, §8; 96 Acts, ch 1183, §3; 99 Acts, ch 135, §15; 2000 Acts, ch 1112, §51; 2004 Acts, ch 1090, §33