225C.1 - FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
225C.1 FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
1. The general assembly finds that services to persons with
mental illness, mental retardation, developmental disabilities, or
brain injury are provided in many parts of the state by highly
autonomous community-based service providers working cooperatively
with state and county officials. However, the general assembly
recognizes that heavy reliance on property tax funding for mental
health and mental retardation services has enabled many counties to
exceed minimum state standards for the services resulting in an
uneven level of services around the state. Consequently, greater
efforts should be made to assure close coordination and continuity of
care for those persons receiving publicly supported disability
services in Iowa. It is the purpose of this chapter to continue and
to strengthen the services to persons with disabilities now available
in the state of Iowa, to make disability services conveniently
available to all persons in this state upon a reasonably uniform
financial basis, and to assure the continued high quality of these
services.
2. It is the intent of the general assembly that the service
system for persons with disabilities emphasize the ability of persons
with disabilities to exercise their own choices about the amounts and
types of services received; that all levels of the service system
seek to empower persons with disabilities to accept responsibility,
exercise choices, and take risks; that disability services are
individualized, provided to produce results, flexible, and
cost-effective; and that disability services be provided in a manner
which supports the ability of persons with disabilities to live,
learn, work, and recreate in communities of their choice. Section History: Early Form
[81 Acts, ch 78, § 1, 20] Section History: Recent Form
94 Acts, ch 1170, §10; 2006 Acts, ch 1115, §2
Referred to in § 225C.6B, 225C.7, 331.439