Iowa HF 2256: A bill for an act exempting a parent’s or legal guardian’s inability to access appropriate behavioral or mental health treatment for their child from the definition of child abuse.

Bill Text

House
File
2256
-
Enrolled

House
File
2256

AN
ACT

EXEMPTING
A
PARENT’S
OR
LEGAL
GUARDIAN’S
INABILITY
TO
ACCESS

APPROPRIATE
BEHAVIORAL
OR
MENTAL
HEALTH
TREATMENT
FOR
THEIR

CHILD
FROM
THE
DEFINITION
OF
CHILD
ABUSE.

BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:

Section
1.
Section
232.68,
subsection
2,
paragraph
a,

subparagraph
(4),
Code
2026,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following

new
subparagraph
division:

NEW
SUBPARAGRAPH
DIVISION

.
(d)
If
a
child
has
a
diagnosed

behavioral
health
condition
and,
despite
reasonable
attempts,

the
child’s
parent
or
legal
guardian
is
unable
to
provide

necessary
care
for
the
child’s
health
and
welfare
solely

because
the
parent
or
legal
guardian
is
unable
to
access

appropriate
behavioral
or
mental
health
treatment
for
the

child,
the
department
shall
not
consider
the
lack
of
provision

of
appropriate
behavioral
or
mental
health
treatment
as
child

abuse.
This
subparagraph
division
shall
not
be
construed
to

prohibit
the
department
from
assessing
a
child’s
situation
and

facilitating
appropriate
intervention
the
department
deems
is

in
the
best
interests
of
the
child.

Sec.
2.
DEPARTMENT
OF
HEALTH
AND
HUMAN
SERVICES
——

INCORPORATION
INTO
POLICIES.
The
department
of
health
and

human
services
shall
adjust
the
department’s
child
abuse

House
File
2256,
p.
2

assessment
policies,
including
the
department’s
policy
manuals,

to
incorporate
the
provisions
of
section
232.68,
subsection
2,

paragraph
“a”,
subparagraph
(4),
subparagraph
division
(d),
as

enacted
in
this
Act.

______________________________

PAT
GRASSLEY

Speaker
of
the
House

______________________________

AMY
SINCLAIR

President
of
the
Senate

I
hereby
certify
that
this
bill
originated
in
the
House
and

is
known
as
House
File
2256,
Ninety-first
General
Assembly.

______________________________

MEGHAN
NELSON

Chief
Clerk
of
the
House

Approved
_______________,
2026
______________________________

KIM
REYNOLDS

Governor