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The Iowa Supreme Court was asked Wednesday to decide if Gov. Terry Branstad violated state law last year by using his line-item veto authority to close two state mental health institutes. "We feel the governor did not exercise his veto correctly," plaintiffs' attorney Mark Hedberg told the justices. He noted that existing Iowa law requires the operation of mental health facilities in Mount Pleasant and Clarinda, and argued Branstad should have asked the Iowa Legislature to modify the statute. (Petroski, 9/14)

A new initiative will provide $10 million to three community health centers and Boston Medical Center to give children in the region better access to mental health services. Organizers said the funding, provided by the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation, will allow the Dimock Center in Roxbury, the Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester, and the Lowell Community Health Center to create a model that combines mental health care with primary care for children. (Quintana, 9/14)

Should a mental health and drug addiction facility be a permitted or conditional use in West Chester Township? That’s one of several questions that will be addressed over the next several weeks as township officials wrestle with proposed changes in the township's zoning law. A moratorium on issuing permits for such facilities was initiated last April, much to the chagrin of Dr. Mohamed Aziz, who wants to open a mental health and addiction treatment center along U.S. 42 in the former West Chester Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. (Kiesewetter, 9/14)

Corrections officials who investigated the April escape of two violent patients from Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital say they discovered a list of mistakes, blunders and deceptions at what should be a secure facility. Investigators tasked with assessing security at Western State Hospital determined there were no routine inspections; 25,000 master keys were missing; thousands of tools used to open patient windows had been misplaced; and management was unwilling to recognize that failing to focus on security puts patients and the public at risk, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press in response to a public records request. (Bellisle, 9/14)