IowaParents may authorize mental health care over a minor’s objection
Parents or guardians may authorize listed care for a minor’s mental health condition or substance use disorder over the minor’s objection, though providers may decline in certain circumstances.
What it does
Parents or guardians may authorize a range of care for a minor’s mental health condition or substance use disorder, even over the minor’s objection. Providers may still decline care for stated reasons.
When a minor objects to voluntary hospital admission, a parent, guardian, or custodian must get juvenile court approval first. The court can approve admission only after a hearing and specific findings.
Argument forParents could authorize listed care over a minor’s objection, which may help families seek treatment when a child resists it.
Argument againstA minor’s objection would not stop a parent from authorizing care, which could leave the young person with less say in treatment decisions.
More detail
A parent or guardian may consent to and authorize the listed care for a minor, even if the minor objects. This applies to a minor’s evaluation, counseling, therapy, rehabilitation, medication management, outpatient or inpatient treatment, and prescreening for inpatient substance use disorder treatment. A mental health professional or facility does not have to provide treatment if it finds the treatment inappropriate, admission criteria unmet, or it cannot treat the minor.
A parent, guardian, or custodian seeking voluntary hospital admission for an objecting minor must petition the juvenile court for approval before admission. This applies when a minor objects to a parent’s, guardian’s, or custodian’s application for voluntary hospital admission for mental illness. The court must appoint a lawyer if the minor has none and an advocate if it approves admission. It may order admission only after a hearing finds clear and convincing evidence that treatment is needed and will substantially help, and no less restrictive setting is feasible. The court must approve admission before the minor is admitted.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 2Explanation of vote.Latest
- Apr 30Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds.Became Law
- Apr 30Reported correctly enrolled, signed by Speaker and President, and sent to Governor.To Governor
- Apr 21Message from Senate.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Immediate message.
- Apr 21Passed Senate, yeas 44, nays 0.Major
- Apr 21Senate concurred with S-5181.
- Apr 15Message from House, with amendment S-5181.
- Apr 14Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 14Passed House, yeas 87, nays 6.Major
- Apr 14House concurred in Senate amendment H-8303, as amended.
- Apr 14Amendment H-8352 to Senate amendment H-8303 adopted.Major
- Apr 14Amendment H-8348 to Senate amendment H-8303 withdrawn.
- Apr 13Amendments H-8348 and H-8352 filed.
- Apr 6Senate amendment H-8303 filed.Minor
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 6Message from Senate.
- Apr 6Immediate message.
- Apr 6Passed Senate, yeas 47, nays 0.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Apr 6Amendment S-5121 adopted.Major
- Mar 26Placed on calendar under unfinished business.
- Mar 19Placed on calendar.
- Mar 19Amendment S-5121 filed.Minor
- Mar 19Committee report, recommending amendment and passage.Minor
- Mar 5Subcommittee recommends passage.Minor
- Mar 4Subcommittee Meeting: 03/05/2026 8:30AM Room 315.
- Mar 3Subcommittee: Alons, Donahue, and Evans.
- Feb 25Read first time, referred to Health and Human Services.Minor
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 25Message from House.
- Feb 25Immediate message.
- Feb 25Passed House, yeas 70, nays 21.Passed 1st Chamber
- Feb 16Introduced, placed on calendar.Introduced
Mental Health