Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-302.2 - [Effective 7/1/2025] Service availability and accessibility

(1) Minimum access standards. A BH-ASO will ensure available, accessible, and adequate numbers of providers, locations, and personnel for the provision of behavioral health services. At a minimum, access to services provided by behavioral health safety net service providers will meet the following standards:
a. Crisis assessment and evaluation. An individual will have immediate access to a crisis screening and will have a crisis assessment by an appropriately licensed or credentialed mental health or substance use disorder treatment professional within 24 hours of referral.
b. Access centers. An individual will have access to services within 60 minutes or 60 miles of an individual's residence.
c. Mobile crisis response. An individual will have an in-person, community-based response within 60 minutes.
d. Crisis-stabilization, community-based services. An individual will have access to services within the time frames set forth in 441-Chapter 24.
e. Crisis-stabilization, residential services. An individual will have access to services within the time frames set forth in 441-Chapter 24.
f. Mental health outpatient.
(1) The service will be located within 60 minutes or 60 miles of an individual's residence.
(2) During an emergency, outpatient services shall be initiated to an individual within 15 minutes of telephone contact. When the assessed need is urgent, outpatient services shall be provided to an individual within one hour of presentation or 24 hours of telephone contact. When the assessed need is for routine care, outpatient services shall be provided to an individual within four weeks of the individual's request for appointment.
g. Assertive community treatment. The service will be available to all individuals within a district.
h. Mental health intensive psychiatric rehabilitation. An individual will have access to services within the time frames set forth in 441-Chapter 24.
i. Mental health inpatient. The service will be located within 60 minutes or 60 miles of an individual's residence in urban areas and within 90 minutes or 90 miles of an individual's residence in rural areas.
j. Substance use disorder outpatient treatment. An individual will have access to services within 60 minutes or 60 miles of the individual's residence.
k. Substance use disorder intensive outpatient services. An individual will have access to services within 60 minutes or 60 miles of an individual's residence.
l. Substance use disorder residential treatment services. An individual will have access to services within 60 minutes or 60 miles of an individual's residence.
m. Outpatient competency restoration. The service will be available to all individuals within a district.
n. Twenty-three-hour observation and holding. An individual will have access to services within the time frames set forth in 441-Chapter 24.
o. Crisis respite. An individual will have access to services within the time frames set forth in 441-Chapter 24.
(2) Priority populations for substance use disorder treatment. In addition to the standards in subrule 302.2(1), behavioral health safety net service providers of substance use disorder treatment will meet the following standards:
a. In accordance with 45 CFR Part 96, Subpart L, as amended to July 1, 2025, priority admission to substance use disorder treatment services must be offered to the following populations in this order:
(1) Individuals who are pregnant and who use injection drugs.
(2) Individuals who are pregnant.
(3) Individuals who use injection drugs.
(4) All others.
b. Individuals who are pregnant must be admitted to the recommended American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) level of care within 48 hours of receiving the recommendation for treatment from a licensed substance use disorder treatment provider. If admission is not possible within 48 hours, the individual must be offered interim services as defined in 45 CFR 96.121 as amended to July 1, 2025, and must be referred to the statewide waitlist maintained by the department.
c. Individuals who report the use of injection drugs and are not pregnant must be admitted to the recommended ASAM level of care within 14 days of receiving the recommendation for treatment from a licensed substance use disorder treatment provider. If admission is not possible within 14 days, interim services must be offered within 48 hours and the admission deadline is then extended to 120 days.
(3) Free choice of providers. A BH-ASO will ensure that individuals may receive services from any qualified network provider of the individual's choosing that is available to provide the services to them.

Notes

Iowa Admin. Code r. 441-302.2
Adopted by IAB May 14, 2025/Volume XLVII, Number 23, effective 7/1/2025

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