Resolve, To Change the Educational Requirements of Certain Behavioral Health Professionals

Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to amend rules governing educational requirements for behavioral health professionals providing home and community-based treatment. Resolved: That, no later than January 1, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rule Chapter 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter II, Section 65 to change the educational requirements for behavioral health professionals providing services for children's home and community-based treatment to allow the following educational requirements:

1. A minimum of 60 higher education credit hours in a related field of social services, human services, health or education;

2. A minimum of 90 higher education credit hours in an unrelated field with the provider required to have a specific plan for supervision and training documented in the personnel file of the employee; or

3. A high school diploma or equivalent and a minimum of 3 years of direct experience working with children in a behavioral health children's services program with the provider required to have a specific plan for supervision and training documented in the personnel file of the employee.

The changes to educational requirements required by this resolve do not affect the requirements for behavioral health professional training and the prescribed time frames.

Sec. 2. Training within existing resources. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend or establish contracts to train any additional number of individuals engaging in training to become behavioral health professionals providing children's home and community-based treatment services within existing resources. The department may make any changes necessary, including choosing to charge individuals or their employers fees for training, in order to offer training within existing resources.