Source: http://dentisty.org/maine-revised-statutes-title-22-a-health-and-human-services-ta.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 03:05:52+00:00

Document:
1. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Health and Human Services.
1-A. Adult developmental services. "Adult developmental services" has the same meaning as in Title 34-B, section 1001, subsection 1-A.
2. Department. "Department" means the Department of Health and Human Services.
3. Seal. The department has an official seal which must be judicially noticed.
2003, c. 689, §A1 (NEW). 2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §49 (AMD).
1. Establishment. The Department of Health and Human Services is established as a cabinet-level department.
2003, c. 689, §A1 (NEW). 2005, c. 412, §5 (AMD). 2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §§41, 42 (AMD).
1. Mission. The mission of the department is to provide health and human services to the people of Maine so that all persons may achieve and maintain their optimal level of health and their full potential for economic independence and personal development. Within available funds, the department shall provide supportive, preventive, protective, public health and intervention services to children, families and adults, including the elderly and adults with disabilities. The department shall endeavor to assist individuals in meeting their needs and families in providing for the developmental, health and safety needs of their children, while respecting the rights and preferences of the individual or family.
2003, c. 689, §A1 (NEW).
4. Delivery of programs and services. The department shall deliver programs and services through a coordinated and efficient administrative structure and an integrated delivery system that focuses on meeting the needs of individuals and families. The department shall use a combination of public personnel and contracts with private agencies to deliver programs and services.
2003, c. 689, §A1 (NEW). 2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §50 (AMD).
1. Appointment. The Governor shall appoint the commissioner, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and confirmation by the Senate. The commissioner serves at the pleasure of the Governor.
2. Vacancy; deputy commissioner. A vacancy in the office of the commissioner must be filled as follows.
1. Administration. The commissioner shall administer the department in accordance with the requirements of this Title and shall fulfill the duties prescribed to the commissioner by state and federal law.
2. Rulemaking. The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this Title. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules, as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, unless otherwise specified.
3. Employees. The commissioner may employ personnel as necessary to carry out the work of the department. All personnel of the department are under the immediate supervision, direction and control of the commissioner. Department personnel must be employed subject to the Civil Service Law, except for positions subject to appointment by the commissioner under subsection 4.
4. Appointments. All deputy commissioners, all office directors, the regional systems integration directors and the superintendents of any state institutions are appointed by the commissioner and serve at the pleasure of the commissioner.
Deputy commissioners and office directors appointed pursuant to this subsection must have educational qualifications and professional experience directly related to the functions of and services provided by the relevant unit or office.
2003, c. 689, §A1 (NEW). 2005, c. 236, §3 (REV). 2005, c. 412, §6 (AMD). 2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §§43, 44 (AMD).
1. General. The commissioner has general supervision, management and control of the research and planning, grounds, buildings, property, officers, employees and clients of all state institutions.
2. Enforcement of laws. The commissioner shall enforce all laws concerning the institutions within the department, unless specific law enforcement duties are given by law to other persons.
3. Rules. Rules adopted pursuant to section 205, subsection 2 must be established as set out in this subsection.
4. Grievance procedures. The commissioner shall establish procedures for hearing grievances of clients who receive mental health services or adult developmental services or of children who receive behavioral health services. The procedures must include the opportunity for a timely hearing before a state hearing examiner or an independent fair hearing examiner. The commissioner may contract for the services of the hearing examiner, who shall conduct adjudicatory proceedings pursuant to the Maine Administrative Procedure Act.
5. Residential child care facilities. The commissioner shall approve all programs for the provision of mental health services to residential child care facilities, as defined in Title 22, section 8101, subsection 4, and shall participate in licensure of these programs in accordance with Title 22, section 8104.
6. Abuse allegations in state institutions. The commissioner shall ensure appropriate intervention and remediation in cases of substantiated abuse and neglect in state institutions. The commissioner shall ensure, through inspection on a periodic basis, that all state institutions meet appropriate federal and state standards relating to the health, safety and welfare of clients of these institutions.
7. Establish standards of care. The commissioner shall establish standards of care for patients at the Riverview Psychiatric Center and the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center.
8. Substance abuse prevention and treatment. The commissioner shall administer and carry out the purposes of the Maine Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §45 (NEW). 2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §51 (AMD).
1. General powers. The commissioner may perform any legal act relating to the care, custody, treatment, relief and improvement of the residents of state institutions or may purchase residential services when the department does not provide the appropriate institutional services for the client.
2. Appointments of deputy commissioner and other employees. The commissioner's powers to appoint any deputy commissioner and other employees are as set out in this subsection.
3. Delegation. The commissioner's delegation powers are as set out in this subsection.
4. Funding sources. In carrying out this Title, the commissioner may apply for and accept from any other agency of government, person, group or corporation any funds that may be available.
6. Physicians. Department employees in the classifications of physician I, II and III are unclassified state employees, as defined by Title 26, section 979-A, subsection 6, and are members of bargaining units, subject to Title 26, chapter 9-B. An employee in any of these classifications must, as a condition of continued employment, maintain necessary clinical privileges to practice medicine in that employee's position as determined by the respective medical staff and the superintendent of the facility. Any termination of employment due to a loss of clinical privileges to practice medicine under this subsection is not subject to the grievance procedure under any collective bargaining agreement.
8. Ad hoc committee compensation. The commissioner is authorized to provide compensation to persons who are consumers or family members of consumers of departmental services who are members of ad hoc committees. The compensation may not exceed $25 per day and payment of expenses. Total compensation expenses of the department under this subsection in any fiscal year may not exceed $7,500.
9. Operation of a facility. The commissioner may contract with a privately operated corporation for the operation of a facility to replace the Elizabeth Levinson Center effective October 1, 2008.
10. Adjudicatory subpoena power. In an adjudicatory proceeding conducted by the department, the commissioner may issue subpoenas to require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of evidence or discovery relating to an issue of fact in the proceeding and may designate employees of the department to issue such subpoenas. Subpoenas must be issued in accordance with Title 5, section 9060.
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §46 (NEW). 2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §52 (AMD). 2013, c. 202, §1 (AMD).
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §47 (NEW).
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §48 (NEW).
1. Reasonable fees authorized. The department may charge reasonable fees for any services provided under this Title, Title 5, Title 22 or Title 34-B, whether directly or indirectly provided by the department. Any fees thus received constitute a permanent fund for use by the department as special revenue income and do not become part of the General Fund. Fees so generated must be used in accordance with federal regulations.
2. Sliding fee scale. The department may establish a sliding fee scale for the provision of community-based purchased services administered by the department.
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §49 (NEW).
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §50 (NEW).
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §51 (NEW).
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §52 (NEW).
2. Performance-based contract. The commissioner shall ensure that all agreements to purchase social services are performance-based contracts.
3. Rules. The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this section, including, but not limited to, the establishment of program goals, outcome measures, an information management system to collect and manage contract data, a system of ongoing assessment of program effectiveness and hold-harmless guidelines for provider agencies during the first contract period or 12 months, whichever is greater.
4. Procedures. The procedures in this subsection apply whenever the commissioner commences a request-for-proposal procedure.
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §53 (NEW).
2007, c. 539, Pt. N, §54 (NEW).
2013, c. 269, Pt. B, §1 (NEW).
All copyrights and other rights to statutory text are reserved by the State of Maine. The text included in this publication reflects changes made through the Second Regular Session of the 127th Maine Legislature and is current through October 1, 2016. The text is subject to change without notice. It is a version that has not been officially certified by the Secretary of State. Refer to the Maine Revised Statutes Annotated and supplements for certified text.
The Office of the Revisor of Statutes also requests that you send us one copy of any statutory publication you may produce. Our goal is not to restrict publishing activity, but to keep track of who is publishing what, to identify any needless duplication and to preserve the State's copyright rights.
PLEASE NOTE: The Revisor's Office cannot perform research for or provide legal advice or interpretation of Maine law to the public. If you need legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.

References: §49
 §5
 §50
 §3
 §6
 §45
 §51
 §46
 §52
 §1
 §47
 §48
 §49
 §50
 §51
 §52
 §53
 §54
 §1