Relating to the term brain health

This bill relates to the term “brain health”. The bill includes brain illnesses in the legislative findings relating to services to persons with mental illness, an intellectual disability, developmental disabilities, or brain injury in Code chapter 225C (mental health and disability services). The bill provides that the general assembly finds that to reduce the stigma associated with brain health disease and brain illness and to assist Iowans in receiving brain health diagnosis and treatment, the terms “brain health” or “brain illness” may be used synonymous with the terms “mental health” and “mental illness” to allow for more preventative and earlier treatments of those Iowans with brain health issues. This recognition of the term “brain health” does not replace the terms “behavioral health”, “mental health”, or “mental illness” as those terms relate to medical billing, insurance regulation, or state professional licensure. The bill adds to the duties of the department of health and human services the duty to recognize the term “brain health” as a term that mental health providers may use in matters related to mental health, mental illness, and behavioral health. The recognition of “brain health” shall not replace or alter the terms “mental health”, “mental illness”, or “behavioral health” as those terms relate to medical billing, insurance regulation, or state professional licensure.