Sponsor: Representative Kelly Murphy | Current Status: REFERRED to the Committee on EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

This bill establishes a grant program in the Department of Education to increase postsecondary educational opportunities and support employability for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorder. Under the grant program, the department awards competitive grants to institutions of higher education in the State to develop and implement program plans that offer students with intellectual or developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorder, to the greatest extent possible, the same rights, privileges, experiences, benefits and outcomes in a higher education experience as students without disabilities.

Sponsor: Representative Anne Graham | Current Status: REFERRED to the Committee on HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

This bill requires funding appropriated in Public Law 2023, chapter 643 for certified community behavioral health clinic projects to be used to support the Medicaid services state share of funds needed for state-licensed mental health organizations to participate in the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Medicaid Demonstration Program by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in partnership with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Sponsor: Senator Joseph Baldacci | Current Status: DEAD

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse hospitals for children who are eligible under the MaineCare program and who are in hospital emergency rooms awaiting placement in a children's residential care facility at the same rate as would be provided to a children's residential care facility. The bill requires the department to develop 3 crisis centers for children and adolescents with high levels of behavioral health needs and awaiting placement in a residential facility or community service. The bill requires the department to enter into an agreement with a vendor to provide a psychiatric residential treatment facility by April 1, 2025 or develop a facility owned and operated directly by the department. The bill requires the department to provide monthly data to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters on the number of children who are in a hospital emergency room awaiting placement. The report must also include the number of children under 12 years of age, the number of children who have come from another residential setting or hospital, the number of children who are experiencing homelessness and the services the children are waiting for. The bill also requires the department to provide to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters the de-identified data provided to the independent reviewer to settle the lawsuit filed by the United States Department of Justice no later than 30 days after that data is provided to the reviewer.

Sponsor: Rep. Lori Gramlich | Current Status: DEAD

The department is directed to do the following: 1. Address the closure of beds for children and youth residential services by counseling service providers about resource needs and providing emergency funds to support acute staffing needs; 2. Develop an internal process to ensure that the department is meeting its obligations to make available and maximize its use of funding for early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment services; 3. Submit 2 additional reports to the Legislature related to the number of children experiencing long stays in hospital emergency departments and other matters related to youth services; and 4. Submit a report to the Legislature containing a gap analysis that describes all of the youth beds and programs added since 2018 and lost since 2018 and information concerning waiting lists and average time waiting for approval for youth programs. The report must also contain updates on the implementation and development of various policy efforts related to behavioral health services.

Sponsor: Rep. Lori Gramlich | Current Status: PASSED TO BE ENACTED.