‘Resolve, To Extend the Pilot Program for Providing Mental Health Case Management Services to Veterans’

‘Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  this legislation extends a crucial and highly successful pilot program that provides coordinated mental health care and case management services to veterans; and

Whereas,  one of the 2 regional contracts for providing these services is scheduled to expire on July 1, 2020, which will likely occur before the 90-day period expires; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Resolve 2017, c. 24, Pt. B, §1, amended. Resolved: That Resolve 2017, c. 24, Pt. B, §1 is amended to read:

Sec. B-1. Commissioner of Health and Human Services to establish pilot program to provide mental health case management services to veterans. Resolved: That, beginning January 1, 2018, the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, referred to in this Part as "the commissioner," shall establish a pilot program to provide contracted case management services to provide necessary mental health treatment to veterans who are residents of the State. Case management services must include assisting veterans in gaining a range of mental and behavioral health services, which must include inpatient mental health care services. In establishing the pilot program, the commissioner shall consult with the Director of the Maine Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, referred to in this Part as "the director," to identify regions where case management services are most needed and to identify veterans seeking case management services who are enrolled with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and those who would likely be eligible to be enrolled. The pilot program described in this section must continue until January 1, 2020 June 30, 2021 or until the funds provided in Part C are exhausted.

1. The commissioner, with the assistance of the director, shall seek to coordinate services with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and state agencies that offer mental health care services or provide assistance to veterans.

2. The commissioner may enter into regional contracts , including a contract with a provider that has experience providing services in northern Maine, for the purpose of ensuring a statewide network of case management that provides coordinated mental health care services for Maine veterans, including, but not limited to, inpatient treatment as clinically required.

3. The commissioner, with the assistance of the director, shall establish criteria to determine eligibility for case management services to be provided in accordance with this section. A veteran who has received a mental health diagnosis or mental health disability rating from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs must be considered eligible for case management services. A veteran who is not enrolled with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs who is determined to require mental health care services by a licensed mental health professional may be considered eligible for case management and other behavioral health services based on the individual needs of the veteran.

4. The director shall work to assist veterans receiving case management services under the pilot program who are not enrolled with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to determine eligibility and to assist with those veterans' enrollment and with filing claims to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

5. Case management and mental health professionals selected to participate in the pilot program must demonstrate military and veteran cultural competency.

6. An individual who served in the United States Armed Forces and meets the federal definition of veteran or who has served or is currently serving in the Maine Army National Guard or Air National Guard or the Reserves of the United States Armed Forces is eligible. Character of discharge is not a disqualifying eligibility criterion.

7. All veterans participating in the pilot program must be accounted for in the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Maine Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services and the Department of Health and Human Services data collections.

8. Upon conclusion of the pilot program By February 1, 2021, the commissioner, in consultation with the director, shall prepare a written report of the services provided and make recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over veterans affairs if appropriate; and be it further

Sec. 2. Resolve 2017, c. 24, Pt. C, §2, enacted. Resolved: That Resolve 2017, c. 24, Pt. C, §2 is enacted to read:

Sec. C-2. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following appropriations and allocations are made.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Veterans Mental Health Case Management and Services Fund Z261

Initiative: Provides one-time funding for a new contract for case management services for veterans in Aroostook and Washington counties through June 30, 2021.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$0	$200,000
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$200,000

Veterans Mental Health Case Management and Services Fund Z261

Initiative: Provides one-time funding to continue current contracts for case management services for veterans through June 30, 2021.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
All Other	$0	$118,056
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$118,056

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2019-20	2020-21
GENERAL FUND	$0	$318,056
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$0	$318,056

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.’