An Act To Allow Marriage and Family Therapists To Provide Related Services in Public Schools

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §7007  is enacted to read:

§ 7007.  Related services

Related services must be provided by qualified individuals employed or contracted by the school administrative unit in accordance with rules adopted by the department pursuant to section 7005.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §7251-A,  as enacted by PL 1987, c. 395, Pt. A, §74, is amended to read:

§ 7251-A. Local special education services; related services

A school administrative unit may offer or contract for special education services. A school administrative unit may also offer or contract for related services in accordance with rules adopted by the department pursuant to section 7005.

Sec. 3. Rules amended; marriage and family therapists. The Commissioner of Education shall amend its rules in Chapter 101: Maine Unified Special Education Regulation Birth to Age Twenty to clarify that a person licensed as a marriage and family therapist under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, chapter 119 is qualified to:

1. Serve as a qualified evaluator for children 3 to 20 years of age as described in Section IV, subsection 2, paragraph G of the rule;

2. Provide related services to children with disabilities as described in Section XI of the rule; and

3. Serve as a qualified licensed contractor pursuant to a contract for the provision of related services to children with disabilities as described in Section XVIII, subsection 1, paragraph C, subparagraph (3), division (a) of the rule.