Section 222.13. Voluntary admissions.

  1.  If an adult person is believed to be a person with an intellectual disability, the adult person or the adult person’s guardian may apply to the department and the superintendent of any state resource center for the voluntary admission of the adult person either as an inpatient or an outpatient of the resource center. If the expenses of the person’s admission or placement are payable in whole or in part by the person’s county of residence, application for the admission shall be made through the regional administrator. An application for admission to a special unit of any adult person believed to be in need of any of the services provided by the special unit under section 222.88 may be made in the same manner. The superintendent shall accept the application if a preadmission diagnostic evaluation confirms or establishes the need for admission, except that an application shall not be accepted if the institution does not have adequate facilities available or if the acceptance will result in an overcrowded condition.

  2.  If the resource center does not have an appropriate program for the treatment of an adult or minor person with an intellectual disability applying under this section or section 222.13A, the regional administrator for the person’s county of residence or the department, as applicable, shall arrange for the placement of the person in any public or private facility within or without the state, approved by the director of human services, which offers appropriate services for the person. If the expenses of the placement are payable in whole or in part by a county, the placement shall be made by the regional administrator for the county.

  3.   If the expenses of an admission of an adult to a resource center or a special unit, or of the placement of the person in a public or private facility are payable in whole or in part by a mental health and disability services region, the regional administrator shall make a full investigation into the financial circumstances of the person and those liable for the person’s support under section 222.78 to determine whether or not any of them are able to pay the expenses arising out of the admission of the person to a resource center, special unit, or public or private facility. If the regional administrator finds that the person or those legally responsible for the person are presently unable to pay the expenses, the regional administrator shall pay the expenses. The regional administrator may review such a finding at any subsequent time while the person remains at the resource center, or is otherwise receiving care or treatment for which this chapter obligates the region to pay. If the regional administrator finds upon review that the person or those legally responsible for the person are presently able to pay the expenses, the finding shall apply only to the charges incurred during the period beginning on the date of the review and continuing thereafter, unless and until the regional administrator again changes such a finding. If the regional administrator finds that the person or those legally responsible for the person are able to pay the expenses, the regional administrator shall collect the charges to the extent required by section 222.78, and the regional administrator shall be responsible for the payment of the remaining charges.

[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §3464, 3477.2; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §222.54, 223.13; C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §222.13]

83 Acts, ch 96, §157, 159

; 95 Acts, ch 82, §7

; 96 Acts, ch 1183, §2

; 97 Acts, ch 169, §2

; 2000 Acts, ch 1112, §51

; 2004 Acts, ch 1090, §33

; 2012 Acts, ch 1019, §28

; 2012 Acts, ch 1120, §70, 130

; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §45

; 2015 Acts, ch 69, §7

Section amended