PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Improve Community Mental Health Treatment
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 34-B MRSA §3004, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. K, §33, is further amended to read:
 
2. General policy.   The department shall develop programs to:
 
A. Promote and support the development and implementation of comprehensive community support systems to ensure community integration, psychiatric rehabilitation and the maintenance of a decent quality of life for persons with chronic mental illness in each of the mental health service areas in the State; and
 
B. Strengthen the capacity of families, natural networks, self-help groups and other community resources in order to improve the support for and the rehabilitation and recovery of persons with chronic mental illness.;
 
C.  Provide medically necessary health and mental health services to persons with chronic mental illness in the least restrictive setting that is consistent with the person's choice and individual treatment plan and within the person's chosen community; and
 
D.  Provide housing options to persons with chronic mental illness including a person's home or group residential setting or another configuration according to the person's choice.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop programs to provide services and housing to persons with chronic mental illness. The programs must be designed to ensure psychiatric rehabilitation and to improve the rehabilitation and recovery of persons with chronic mental illness. The programs must provide medically necessary health and mental health services to persons with chronic mental illness in the least restrictive setting that is consistent with the person's choice and individual treatment plan and within the person's chosen community and provide housing options to persons with chronic mental illness including a person's home or group residential setting or another configuration according to the person's choice.