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