218.95 - SYNONYMOUS TERMS.
218.95 SYNONYMOUS TERMS.
1. For purposes of construing the provisions of this and the
following subtitles of this title and chapters 16, 35B, 347B, 709A,
904, 913, and 914 relating to persons with mental illness and
reconciling these provisions with other former and present provisions
of statute, the following terms shall be considered synonymous:
a. "Mentally ill" and "insane", except that the
hospitalization or detention of any person for treatment of mental
illness shall not constitute a finding or create a presumption that
the individual is legally insane in the absence of a finding of
incompetence made pursuant to section 229.27.
b. "Parole" and "convalescent leave".
c. "Resident" and "patient".
d. "Escape" and "depart without proper authorization".
e. "Warrant" and "order of admission".
f. "Escapee" and "patient".
g. "Sane" and "in good mental health".
h. "Asylum" and "hospital".
i. "Commitment" and "admission".
2. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the general assembly
that words which have come to have a degrading meaning shall not be
employed in institutional records having reference to persons with
various mental conditions and that in all records pertaining to
persons with various mental conditions the less discriminatory of the
foregoing synonyms shall be employed. Section History: Early Form
[C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 218.95] Section History: Recent Form
83 Acts, ch 96, § 159, 160; 96 Acts, ch 1129, § 39; 2009 Acts, ch
41, §263