FD Messenger: Rep. Meyer works to expand mental health care
Expanding access to mental health care is the objective of four bills recently introduced by state Rep. Ann Meyer.
Some of those bills aim to expand that access by increasing the ranks of mental health professionals like psychiatrists.
“I will not stop working to increase access to mental health care until every Iowan has the access to the quality care they deserve,” the Fort Dodge Republican said.
Mental Health Institutes
One of Meyer’s bills would increase the bed capacity at the state-owned Cherokee and Independence mental health institutes by 50 percent. That equates to 32 more beds for adults and 14 more beds for children and adolescents.
Meyer said the mental health institutes are the “provider of last resort” that can handle violent patients, suicidal people and those in need of detoxifciation.
If the bill becomes law, the state will have to hire personnel to care for the increased number of patients.
Psychiatrist residencies
After someone earns a medical degree, they must undergo four more years of training called a residency, in which they learn a medical specialty.
Meyer has introduced a bill that would direct the University of Iowa to expand its residency program for psychiatry.
“Right now, we don’t have enough psychiatrists in the state,” Meyer said.