Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §48 is enacted to read:

§48.__Community oversight panels

1.__Community oversight panels.__A community oversight panel is established for each of the following 6 regions:__Presque Isle, Bangor, Ellsworth, Augusta, Lewiston and Portland.__The commissioner shall determine the physical boundaries of each region so that the regions include every part of the State.

2.__Composition of oversight panels.__Each panel is composed of 10 members from the region served by the panel.__The Governor shall appoint panel members, including one physician, one representative of the insurance industry, 2 mental health providers, 2 attorneys, 2 persons with business or administrative experience and 2 citizens.__Panel members shall select a chair.__ Panel members serve without compensation.

3.__Duties of panels.__Each panel shall review all services provided by the department within the region served by the panel, including, but not limited to: child protective services, family and home-based services, services for handicapped individuals and rehabilitation services.__A panel shall review the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of all programs administered by the department.__The department shall provide office space for panel meetings and assist each panel in performing the duties imposed by this section.__A panel shall meet as necessary and accept comments from consumers, service providers and insurers about each program being reviewed.

4.__Findings.__All proceedings and findings of a panel are a matter of public record.__A panel shall forward its findings no later than 30 days after they are made to the Governor, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over human services matters and the commissioner.__The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall respond with corrective action to a panel's findings within 90 days of receipt.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes 6 regional Department of Human Services review panels that review all services provided by the department for efficiency and cost effectiveness. The panels report to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over human services matters and make recommendations to the Commissioner of Human Services.