Iowa statute
Iowa Code § 232.51 — Disposition of child with mental illness
Current through 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.)
Part of Subchapter II: Juvenile Delinquency Proceedings, Iowa Code.
Full text of Iowa Code § 232.51
Statutory text current through the 2026 Iowa Code (enactments effective on or before 2026-01-01, through the 2025 Regular Session, 91st G.A.). This publication reproduces the statutory text of the official 2026 Iowa Code (Legislative Services Agency); it is not the official publication of the State of Iowa.
1. If the evidence received at an adjudicatory or a dispositional hearing indicates that the child is mentally ill, the court may direct the juvenile court officer or the department to initiate proceedings or to assist the child’s parent or guardian to initiate civil commitment proceedings in the juvenile court and such proceedings in the juvenile court shall adhere to the requirements of chapter 229.
2. a. If prior to the adjudicatory or dispositional hearing on the pending delinquency petition, the child is committed as a child with a mental illness and is ordered into a residential facility, institution, or hospital for inpatient treatment, the delinquency proceeding shall be suspended until such time as the juvenile court either terminates the civil commitment order or the child is released from the residential facility, institution, or hospital for purposes of receiving outpatient treatment.
b. During any time that the delinquency proceeding is suspended pursuant to this subsection, any time limits for speedy adjudicatory hearings and continuances shall be tolled.
c. This subsection shall not apply to waiver hearings held pursuant to section 232.45.
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This reference is informational and is not legal advice.