DEPARTMENT TOTALS 2003-04 2004-05

GENERAL FUND $131,158 $137,892

DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $131,158 $137,892

SECTION TOTALS 2003-04 2004-05

GENERAL FUND $290,228 $310,042

FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 308,780 334,150

SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS $599,008 $644,192

SUMMARY

This bill implements 2 of the recommendations of the Commission on Fatherhood Issues related to the number of Family Division Case Management Officer positions deployed in the Family Division of the District Court and the continuation of the Noncustodial Parent Outreach and Investigation Project.

Under this bill, additional funding is provided to the Family Division of the District Court in order to increase the number of Family Division Case Management Officer positions from 8 to 13. This bill appropriates the additional funds necessary to provide the 34% state match that would leverage matching federal funding for the deployment of 5 additional Family Division Case Management Officer positions.

The bill also appropriates the funds necessary to establish 2 Outreach Investigator positions in the Department of the Attorney General in order to continue the Noncustodial Parent Outreach and Investigation Project programs for another 2 years. Funded with federal grant funds, the Noncustodial Parent Outreach and Investigation Project is currently a pilot project in York and Somerset counties; however, federal funding for this pilot project will lapse at the end of the 2002-03 fiscal year and additional funds are needed to continue and expand the program to other parts of Maine.