We are working with our Maine legislators to create legislation that will advance our goals:
- Ensure access to quality, efficient and effective mental health and substance use services.
- Achieve positive system change in the public perception of mental health and substance use disorder.
- Support the delivery of services with a highly competent workforce.
POLICY AGENDA FOR 129TH LEGISLATURE
- Invest in Behavioral Health Workforce
- Streamline certification and licensure for behavioral health clinicians and create a targeted tax credit or loan program for underserved areas
- Review the DHHS background check mandate to make improvements, add flexibility and choice, and reduce discrimination
- Enhance Access to MaineCare Behavioral Health Services
- Establish regular Medicaid Rate Review process with oversight advisory committee
- Increases in reimbursement rates for critical MaineCare behavioral health services to enhance adequacy of the provider network and increase access to MaineCare services
- Invest in Mental Health Services
- Resolve to review the changes made to the crisis system in Maine to discern need for investment or improvement
- Enhance access to Section 17 Community Integration services based on functional need
- Invest in home and community treatment for children with behavioral health needs
- Expand MaineCare eligibility for Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) to parents/guardians to participate in appointments with their child receiving MaineCare mental health residential services
- Invest in Substance Use Treatment (SUD) Services
- Recovery Residence voluntary certification standards and housing assistance fund
- Create homeless medication assisted treatment program
- Expand access to Medication Assisted Treatment
Bills–129th Maine Legislative First Session
Click here for critical bills awaiting funding on the Appropriations Committee. We could use your help in getting them funded!!
Below are bills we have been monitoring, supporting or sharing concerns about this session:
1 |
An Act To Protect Health Care Coverage for Maine Families |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
3 |
An Act To Enhance and Increase the Availability of Mental Health Providers in Maine |
Support |
DEAD |
29 |
Resolve, To Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force To Address the Opioid Crisis in the State by Establishing a Work Group To Develop Educational Programming for Prevention of Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders among Youth and Adolescents |
Support |
DEAD |
40 |
Resolve, To Establish the Commission To Study Children’s Mental Health |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
46 |
An Act To Establish a Substance Use Disorder Clinic at the Cumberland County Jail |
Support |
Carried Over |
228 |
An Act To Expedite the Issuance of Alcohol and Drug Counseling Licenses |
High Priority |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
232 |
An Act To Change the Process by Which Designated Nonstate Mental Health Institutions Petition the District Court To Admit Certain Patients to a Progressive Treatment Program |
Support |
Carried Over |
266 |
An Act To Eliminate the 2-year Limit on MaineCare Coverage for Approved Drugs for Opioid Use Disorder |
High Priority |
DEAD |
303 |
An Act To Require Housing Facilities for Persons with Substance Use Disorder Be Equipped with Naloxone |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
329 |
An Act To Exempt from Criminal Liability Persons Reporting a Drug-related Medical Emergency |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
349 |
An Act To Extend the Refundability of the Educational Opportunity Tax Credit to Students in the Behavioral Health Field |
High Priority |
Dead |
414 |
An Act To Provide Intensive Case Managers to Counties That Do Not Have County Jails or Regional Jails |
Support |
Carried Over |
532 |
Resolve, Directing Professional Licensing and Certification Boards To Study the Barriers To Obtaining Professional Licensure and Certification |
Support |
DEAD |
593 |
Resolve, To Stabilize the Behavioral Health Workforce and Avert More Expensive Treatments |
High priority |
Carried Over |
615 |
An Act To Protect the Integrity of the MaineCare Program |
Strong Support |
Became law without signature |
699 |
Resolve, To Provide for Outreach Programs To Assist Women at Risk of Giving Birth to Substance-exposed Infants |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
724 |
An Act To Amend the Maine Background Check Center Act To Provide Employers Flexibility To Use Approved Alternate Vendors |
Support |
DEAD |
734 |
Resolve, To Expedite the Processing of Applications for Certification under the Federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit |
Support |
Carried Over |
738 |
Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Health and Human Services To Convene a Study Group To Review Crisis Services |
Priority |
DEAD |
761 |
An Act To Clarify and Affirm Medicaid Eligibility for Incarcerated Individuals |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
763 |
An Act To Ensure the Availability of Community Integration Services |
Priority |
Carried Over |
775 |
An Act To Expand Community Support Services for Certain Adult Members of the MaineCare Program |
High Priority |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
793 |
An Act To Improve Accountability of Opioid Manufacturers |
Support |
Became Law without Governor’s Signature (Emergency Measure) |
803 |
An Act To Fund Mental Health Crisis Intervention Services |
Support |
Carried Over |
876 |
Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Heath Services To Build Peer Respite Program Capacity in Maine by Implementing at Least One Peer Respite Program |
Support |
DEAD |
880 |
An Act to Respond to Federal Changes to Social Programs |
Priority |
Carried Over |
892 |
An Act To Eliminate the Private Nonmedical Institution Service Provider Tax for Entities That Do Not Otherwise Recover the Tax |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
934 |
Resolve, To Review the Maine Background Check Center Act Implementation and Impact |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
984 |
Resolve, To Increase Funding for Children’s Behavioral Health Issues in Order To Return to the State Children Who Are Currently Housed in Residential Treatment Systems outside of the State and To Suspend Certain Contracts Related to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities |
High Priority |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
993 |
An Act To Expand Recovery Support Services Offered in Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties To Improve Access, Treatment and Recovery for Those Affected by Substance Use Disorder by Designating a Regional Peer Supported Recovery Center |
Support |
DEAD |
1006 |
Resolve, To Require the Development of Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities Based on Social Determinants |
Support |
DEAD |
1007 |
An Act to Expand and Enhance Maine’s Behavioral Health Direct Care Workforce |
High Priority |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1009 |
An Act To Provide Protections for Maine Patients Facing StepTherapy |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1025 |
An Act To Prohibit the Provision of Conversion Therapy to Minors by Certain Licensed Professionals |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1028 |
An Act To Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use with Adequate Funding and by Raising the Tax on Tobacco Products |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1030 |
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Substance Use Disorder Services Commission |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1032 |
An Act To Ensure Sufficient Representation of Adults Receiving Mental Health Services on Local Councils within the Consumer Council System of Maine |
Oppose |
DEAD |
1039 |
Resolve, To Establish and Fund Interventions for At-risk Families and Children |
High Priority |
This was done through the DHHS |
1052 |
An Act To Require Regular and Transparent Review of MaineCare Reimbursement Rates |
High Priority |
This was done through the DHHS |
1062 |
An Act To Support Maine Families by Providing for Transportation of Family Members of MaineCare Recipients to Their Appointments |
Priority |
DEAD |
1070 |
An Act To Reduce the Number of Domestic Assaults and Suicides By Increasing the Tax on Alcohol |
Support |
DEAD |
1096 |
An Act To Require That Comprehensive Substance Use Disorder Treatment Be Made Available to Maine’s Incarcerated Population |
Support |
Carried Over |
1108 |
Resolve, Establishing the Task Force on Alternatives to Incarceration for Maine Youth |
Support |
This was done without legislation |
1135 |
Resolve, To Increase Funding for Evidence-based Assertive Community Treatment |
High Priority |
Carried Over |
1185 |
An Act To Facilitate Intervention by and Provision of Services through the Department of Health and Human Services for Certain Families Affected by Substance Use |
Support |
DEAD |
1199 |
An Act To Protect the Safety of Health Care Workers |
Support |
DEAD |
1210 |
Resolve, To Direct the Commissioner of Corrections To Study Changes in Corrections Practices and Reinvestment in Corrections Resources To Reduce Recidivism and Control Correctional Facility Costs |
Support |
Carried Over |
1260 |
An Act Regarding Short-term, Limited-duration Health Plans |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1263 |
An Act Regarding Telehealth |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1274 |
An Act To Enact the Health Insurance Consumer Assistance Program |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1275 |
An Act To Support Access to Health Services for Homeless Youth in Maine |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1315 |
An Act To Support Medically Monitored Crisis Support and Intervention |
Strong Support |
Carried Over |
1337 |
An Act To Save Lives by Establishing a Homeless Opioid Users Service Engagement Project within the Department of Health and Human Services |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1362 |
An Act To Fund Opioid Treatment by Establishing an Excise Tax on Manufacturers of Opioids |
Strong Support |
Carried Over |
1399 |
An Act To Improve Oral Health and Access to Dental Care for Maine Children |
Support |
Became Law without Governor’s Signature |
1418 |
An Act To Address Maine’s Shortage of Behavioral Health Services for Minors |
Support |
Carried Over |
1461 |
An Act To Support Early Intervention and Treatment of Mental Health Disorders |
Strong Support |
Carried Over |
1466 |
An Act To Allow Community-based Organizations To Participate in Diversion Projects for Persons with Substance Use Disorder |
Support |
Carried Over |
1486 |
An Act To Strengthen Supports for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism in Crisis |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1499 |
An Act To Establish the Maine Prescription Drug Affordability Board |
Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1523 |
An Act To Ensure the Quality of and Increase Access to Recovery Residences |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1526 |
An Act To Increase the Availability of Foster Homes |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1602 |
Resolve, To Develop a Mental Health Plan for the State |
Priority |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1635 |
Resolve, To Improve Access to Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Services for Children from Birth to 8 Years of Age |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1689 |
An Act To Address the Opioid Crisis through Evidence-based Public Health Policy |
Support |
Carried Over |
1694 |
An Act To Amend the Mental Health Insurance Coverage Laws |
Strong Support |
Became Law Signed by Governor |
1756 |
An Act To Improve Public Safety through Coordinated Reentry of Prisoners into the Community |
Support |
Carried Over |
1809 |
Resolve, To Increase Funding for Evidence-based Therapies for Treating Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children |
High Priority |
Became Law without Governor’s Signature |
1822 |
An Act To Protect Access to Services for Adults with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness |
Oppose |
Carried Over |
1838 |
“Resolve, Requiring the Department of Health and Human Services To Examine Options for Upper Payment Limit Adjustments for MaineCare Services” |
High Priority |
Became Law with Governor’s Signature |
1855 |
An Act To Include Student Absences for Mental Health or Behavioral Health Needs as Excusable Absences |
Support |
Became Law with Governor’s Signature |
1934 |
An Act Regarding the Process for Optaining Prior Authorization for Health Insurance Purposes for Medicaid Recipients |
Support |
Signed by the Governor |
1937 |
An Act to Provide Timely Access to BH Services for Maine Children and to Address Trauma and the Impacts of the Opioid Crisis |
High Priority |
Carried Over |
1940 |
Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services To Increase MaineCare Reimbursement Rates for Targeted Case Management Services To Reflect Inflation |
Support |
Carried Over |
1946 |
An Act To Improve Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Care by Providing Care in Clinical Reproductive and Sexual Health Care Settings |
Support |
Carried Over |
2056 |
Resolve, To Create the Frequent Users System Engagement Collaborative |
Support |
Carried Over |
2151 |
An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Juvenile Justice System Advisory Assessment and Reinvestment Task Force |
Support with comments |
Carried Over |