An Act To Create a Statewide Training and Protocol for Responding to Mental Health Crises
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1076
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: BRANNIGAN, CAREY, CLEARY, GOODE, LEWIN, MARTIN, PERCY, STUCKEY, MILLS
Amends: 25 MRSA §2803, 32 MRSA §88

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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124th MAl E LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 1076 
H.P.743 
House of Representatives, March 17, 2009 
An Act To Create a Statewide Training and Protocol for 
Responding to Mental Health Crises 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented .by Representative McCABE of Skowhegan. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRANNIGAN of Cumberland and 
17l~d:: frJ.1l!{f£~{ 
MILLICENT M: MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: CAREY of Lewiston, CLEARY of Houlton, GOODE of Bangor, LEWIN of 
Eliot, MARTIN of Orono, PERCY of Phippsburg, STUCKEY of Portland, Senator: MILLS of 
Somerset. 
Print~L1 011 rCL:ycicd paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:· 
Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2803-:-A, sub-§8-D is enacted to read: 
8-D. 
Training of law enforcement officers dealing with people with mental 
illness. The board shall establish statewide protocols and a training program concerning 
the training of law enforcement officers to ensure that they are trained in" serving people 
with mental illness. The training criteria must include 4 hours of training concerning a " 
behavioral health crisis to be provided by an accredited mental health provider in the. 
initial training of the law enforcement officer and a specific number of hours for periodic 
" 9 
review, as decided by the board. The board shall establish and maintain a statewide 
quality assurance and improvement committee and review the training requirements on 
an annual basis. The board shall adopt rules, which are "routine technical rules pursuant to 
Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, regarding the requirements and authority of the 
statewide quality assUrance and improvement committee"; 
Sec. 2. 26MRSA §2102, sub-§l-A is enacted to read: 
2l. 
I-A. Training of firefighters dealing with people with mental illness. The State 
Fire Marshal, pursuant to duties authorized under Title 25, section 2396, subsection 7, 
shalf establish statewide protocols and a training program concerning the training of 
firefighters in each department to ensure that they are trained in serving people with 
mental illness". The training criteria must include 4 hours of training concerning a 
behavioral health crisis to be provided by an accredited mental health provider in the 
initial training of the firefighters and a specific number of hours for periodic review, as· 
decided by the State Fire Marshal, who shall review the .training requirements on an 
annual basis. The State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules, which are routine teclmical rules 
pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, regarding the requirements established 
by that office. 
Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §88, sUb-:§2, ~ 
is enacted to read: 
1<.. 
The board shall. establish, through the statewide quality assurance and 
improvement committee, statewide protocols and a training program concerning the 
licensing of first responders to ensure that first responders are trained in serving 
people with mental illness. The training criteria must include 4 hours of training 
concerning a behavioral health crisis to be provided by an accredited mental health 
provider in the initial licensing" requirements and a specific number of hours for 
recertification, as decided by the committee. 
The committee shall review the 
licensing requirements on an annual basis. The board shall adopt rules, which are 
routine teclmical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A, regarding the 
requirements and authority of the statewide quality assurance and improvement 
committee. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the Maine CririUnal Justice Academy Board of Trustees, the State 
Fire Marshal and the Emergency Medical Services'"Board to establish statewide protocols 
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and a training program Cor firelighters, police officers and first responders to ensure that 
they arc trained iil sen'ing people with mental illness. Trailling must include 4 hours of 
initial training and periodic review, and programs and protocols must be reviewed 
annually. 
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