CHAPTER 351

H.P. 655 - L.D. 878

An Act To Provide Peer Support and Advocacy Services To

Participants in the ASPIRE-TANF Program and the Parents as

Scholars Program

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3789-E is enacted to read:

§3789-E.__Peer support and advocacy demonstration project

1.__Project established.__The department shall establish a peer support and advocacy demonstration project, referred to in this section as "the project," to provide information, support and advocacy services for participants in the ASPIRE-TANF program, as established in section 3781-A, and the Parents as Scholars Program, as established in section 3790, subsection 1.

2.__Project design.__The department shall establish in 4 of its offices peer support and advocacy groups made up of ASPIRE- TANF program and Parents as Scholars Program participants who, on a volunteer basis, are available to assist their peers in the programs by answering questions or assisting them in resolving problems they may be having in either of the programs.__The peer support and advocacy groups shall meet regularly with the management of the ASPIRE-TANF program and Parents as Scholars Program to discuss systemic issues and methods of improving administration of the programs.__The time spent by a volunteer in a peer support and advocacy group in activities pursuant to the project may count either toward fulfilling the participation requirements for the ASPIRE-TANF program under section 3788, subsections 10 and 11 or toward fulfilling the program