An Act To Create a County Jail Drug Rehabilitation and Treatment Grant Program
Sec. 1. 34-A MRSA §1219 is enacted to read:
§ 1219. County Jail Drug Rehabilitation and Treatment Grant Program
There is established the County Jail Drug Rehabilitation and Treatment Grant Program, referred to in this section as "the grant program," to provide state funding in the form of grants for the creation of drug rehabilitation and treatment programs or facilities attached to or affiliated with county jails or regional jails. Drug rehabilitation and treatment programs and facilities, to qualify for funding, must provide evidence-based rehabilitation and treatment, which may include, but is not limited to, detoxification services, medication-assisted treatment, clinical treatment, medical services, faith-based treatment, peer support, family support, self-care, recovery coaching and support services and educational services. A facility or program may be residential or provide outpatient or community-based services.
summary
This bill establishes the County Jail Drug Rehabilitation and Treatment Grant Program to provide state funding in the form of grants to partially fund the creation of drug rehabilitation and treatment facilities and programs attached to or affiliated with county jails or regional jails. The bill requires the Department of Corrections to seek the advice of a statewide association of county commissioners and a statewide association of sheriffs in designing, adopting standards for and periodically reviewing effectiveness of the grant program. The bill specifies that the grant program provides partial funding to counties that are planning to affiliate with or build or convert a portion of county or regional jails or jail facilities for use as short-term or long-term residential drug rehabilitation and treatment facilities or programs. The bill requires the department to adopt grading standards for awarding grants that require county funding contributions to the drug rehabilitation and treatment facility or program of at least 50% of the cost, that take into consideration the level of county support and county funding and that take into consideration county need. The department is directed to compile a priority list that reflects priorities derived from the grading standards. The bill allows the department to accept funding from private and public sources and provides for funding from the County Jail Drug Rehabilitation and Treatment Grant Program Dedicated Fund, which is established in the bill as a nonlapsing, dedicated fund. The bill provides that department funds remaining and unencumbered at the end of a state fiscal year lapse to the County Jail Drug Rehabilitation and Treatment Grant Program Dedicated Fund.