1. a. Proceedings for the involuntary hospitalization of an individual pursuant to this chapter or for the involuntary commitment or treatment of a person with a substance use disorder to a facility pursuant to chapter 125 may be commenced by any interested person by filing a verified application with the clerk of a district court.
b. If the verified application was filed with a district court where the respondent is not located and does not reside, the court shall transfer jurisdiction of the case to the district court of the county where the respondent is presently located, or which is the respondent’s place of residence.
c. The clerk, or the clerk’s designee, shall assist an applicant in completing the verified application.
2. The application shall:
a. State the applicant’s belief that the respondent is a person who presents a danger to self or others and lacks judgmental capacity due to either of the following:
(1) A substance use disorder as defined in section 125.2.
(2) A serious mental impairment as defined in section 229.1.
b. State facts in support of each belief described in paragraph “a”.
c. Be accompanied by any of the following:
(1) A written statement of a licensed physician or mental health professional in support of the application.
(2) One or more supporting affidavits otherwise corroborating the application.
(3) Corroborative information obtained and reduced to writing by the clerk or the clerk’s designee, but only when circumstances make it infeasible to comply with, or when the clerk considers it appropriate to supplement the information supplied pursuant to, either subparagraph (1) or (2).
3. Prior to the filing of an application pursuant to this section, the clerk or the clerk’s designee shall inform the interested person referred to in subsection 1 about the option of requesting a preapplication screening assessment pursuant to section 229.5A. \n Tue Dec 09 22:21:30 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 229 (47, 1) §229.6, HOSPITALIZATION OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS 6\n\n 4. The supreme court shall prescribe rules and establish forms as necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. [R60, §1480; C73, §1399; C97, §2264; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §3544; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, §229.1; C77, 79, 81, §229.6] 2012 Acts, ch 1079, §10; 2013 Acts, ch 130, §44; 2017 Acts, ch 34, §12; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §518, 519; 2025 Acts, ch 95, §3 Referred to in §218.92, 222.7, 225.11, 226.31, 229.1, 229.5, 229.5A, 229.6A, 229.7, 229.8, 229.9, 229.19, 229.21, 229.22, 229.24, 229.26, 229.27, 229.38, 331.910 Summary of involuntary commitment procedures available from clerk; see §229.45 Subsection 1 amended \n
Notes of Decisions
Matter of Foster, 426 N.W.2d 374 (Iowa 1988).
· cites it 5× “See Iowa Code § 229.6 (1987). 1 A judicial hospitalization referee found clear and convincing evidence that Foster’s judgmental capacity was impaired by a mental illness, paranoid schizophrenia, and that he presented a danger of assaultive behavior.”
B.A.A. v. Chief Med. Officer, Univ. of Iowa Hospitals, 421 N.W.2d 118 (Iowa 1988).
· cites it 6× “” Iowa Code § 229.6 (1985). If, after a hearing, the court finds clear and convincing evidence of the respondent’s serious mental impairment, the court “shall order the respondent placed in a hospital .”
In the Matter of M.A., Alleged to Be Seriously Mentally Impaired, M.A., 895 N.W.2d 477 (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
· cites it 9× “The hospitalization hearing “shall be held in the county where the application was filed unless the judge or referee finds that the best interests of the respondent would be served by transferring the proceedings to a different location.”
State v. Jacobs, 607 N.W.2d 679 (Iowa 2000).
· cites it 2× “Iowa Code § 229.6 (1997). The defendant stipulated that he was seriously mentally impaired and a commitment order was filed March 19,1997.”
Matter of Oseing, 296 N.W.2d 797 (Iowa 1980).
· cites it 3× “This action was initiated on September 20, 1979, by his mother, Marion Evenson, who filed an application seeking Vert’s involuntary hospitalization pursuant to section 229.6. He was removed from his job and immediately confined in the Mental *799 Health Institute at Cherokee.”
In Re the Det. of Betsworth, 711 N.W.2d 280 (Iowa 2006).
· cites it 2× “26, which states in pertinent part: “Sections 229.6 through 229.19 constitute the exclusive procedure for involuntary hospitalization of persons by reason of serious mental impairment in this state,” with certain exceptions not implicated here.”
Stamus v. Leonhardt, 414 F. Supp. 439 (S.D. Iowa 1976).
· cites it 2× “Iowa Code § 229.6 ; see Iowa Code § 229.7 .”
In the Interest of J.P., 574 N.W.2d 340 (Iowa 1998).
· cites it 2× “Iowa Code § 229.6 . The Code defines “seriously mentally impaired” as: “Seriously mentally impaired” or “serious mental impairment” describes the condition of a person with mental illness and because of that illness lacks sufficient judgment to make responsible decisions with…”
Matter of Mohr, 383 N.W.2d 539 (Iowa 1986).
· cites it 2× “Thereafter an application for involuntary hospitalization was filed under Iowa Code section 229.6 (1985). Dr. Kurt Klauburg, the psychiatric resident who examined Mohr, testified Mohr claimed the hospital was holding women for “white slavery” purposes and that several staff…”
United States v. B.H., 466 F. Supp. 2d 1139 (N.D. Iowa 2006).
· cites it 4× “in the Iowa District Court in and for Black Hawk County, pursuant to Iowa Code § 229.6 . 4 On August 21, 2002, a doctor examined B.”
Kettler v. Sec. Nat'l Bank of Sioux City, 805 N.W.2d 817 (Iowa Ct. App. 2011).
· cites it 2× “Milo and Loretta’s niece, Margaret Woolworth, filed an application alleging Fay was seriously mentally impaired pursuant to Iowa Code section 229.6 (2007). The primary allegations supporting the application were Fay’s confusion, deteriorating health, and inability to care for…”
— Iowa Code § 229.6(1) — 1 case
— Iowa Code § 229.6(2) — 1 case
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