Resolve, To Implement the Recommendations of the Juvenile Justice. Task Force
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1703
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: HASKELL, GERZOFSKY, EVES, MAGNAN, ROTUNDO, STRANG BURGESS, WEBSTER, BLISS

Legislative Document 
No. 1703 
H.P.1204 
House of Representatives, January 6,2010 
Resolve, To Implement the Recommendations of the Juvenile Justice. 
Task Force 
' 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approvedfor introduction.by a majority ofthe Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
. 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed., 
Presented by Representative HASKELL of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator GERZOFSKY of Cumberlarid and 
'!r/~ 1/1. 7J?d£~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: EVES of North Berwick, MAGNAN of Stockton Springs, ROTUNDO of 
Lewiston, STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland, STUCKEY ofPortiand, TRINWARD of' 
Waterville, WEBSTER of Freeport, Senator: BLISS of Cumberland. 
Primed 011 recycled pnpcr 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Legislature recognizes the immediate need to better coordinate 
services for juveniles in order to improve and protect their educational opportunities, . 
safety and health; 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, 
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therefore, be it 
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Sec. 1. 
Coordinated sell"Vices district system. 
Resolved: 
That the 
Department of Corrections, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and 
. 
Human Services and the Department of Labor shall develop a jointly agreed-upon 
statewide coordinated services district system by June 1, 2010. 
The system shall 
coordinate and implement service delivery initiatives to increase high school graduation 
rates, reduce the number of youth .in the juvenile justice system, reduce child abuse and 
neglect and increase employment opportunities for youth. The system shall work with 
and report to the Children's Cabinet and the commissioners who are members of the 
cabinet; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Corrections demonstration projects. Resolved: That, by December 
1, 2010, the Department of Corrections shall design and implement 2 demonstration 
projects that use a capitated funding model to provide services for youth who are in the 
juvenile justice system. The goals for the demonstration projects are to increase school 
completion and reduce the use of detention and incarceration. 
The demonstration 
. projects shall include access to a full array of in-home and out-of-home placements and 
substance.abuse and mental health services. The demonstration projects shall work with 
the coordinated services district system developed under section 1 and the Children's 
Cabinet to coordinate services and to ensure flexible funding and timely response and 
provision of services. 
The demonstration projects must be funded with existing 
resources; and be it further 
. 
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Sec. 3. Plan for in-home and out-of-home placements. Resolved: that, by 
June 1, 2010, the Department of Corrections, in conjunction with the Department of 
32. 
Health and Human SerVices, shall develop a plan that will detail a statewide system for 
in-home and out-of-home placements for youth in the juvenile justice system. The plan 
must include funding options for emergency shelter placements, foster home placements 
and residential placements; and be it further 
Sec. 4 .. Plan that identifies ongoing mechanism to ensure provision of· 
flexible funding for youth sell"Vices from multiple agencies. Resolved: That, by 
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June. 1, 2010, the Departmerit of Corrections, the Department of Health and Human 
Services and the Department of Education shall together develop a plan that identifies an 
ongoing mechanism for providing flexible funding for youth who are served by multiple 
. state agencies. 
The plan must include resources from· public, private and nonprofit 
sectors; and be it further 
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Sec. 5. 
Report; legislation. 
Resolved: 
That, by January 15, 2011, the 
Department of Corrections shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over juvenile justice issues progress on the implementation of this 
resolve. The Department of Corrections shall include with its progress report proposed 
legislation necessary to implement the initiatives. The joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over juvenile justice issues may introduce legislation to 
the 125th Legislature based on the department's report. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This emergt:ncy resolve implements. the recommendations of the Juvenile Justice 
Task Force. 
The resolve includes directives to the Department of Corrections, the 
Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services and the 
Department of Labor to develop a statewide coordinated services district system. The 
system will be responsible for coordinating and implementing service delivery initiatives 
for the purpose of increasing high school graduation rates, reducing the number of youth 
in the juvenile justice system, reducing child abuse and neglect and increasing 
employment opportunities for youth. The resolve also directs the system to work with the 
Children's Cabinet. 
' 
The resolve directs the Department of Corrections and the Department of Health and 
Human Services to develop a plan that will detail a statewide system for in-home and out-
of-home placements for youth in the juvenile justice system. The plan must include 
funding options for emergency shelter' placements, foster home placements and 
residential placements. The Department of Corrections, the Department of Health and 
Human Services and the Department of Education are also directed to develop a plan that 
identifies an ongoing mechanism for providing flexible funding for youth who are served 
by multiple state agencies. The plan must include resources from public, private and 
nonprofit sectors.' 
. 
The resolve requires that the Department of Corrections report progress on these 
cooperative initiatives to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over juvenile justice matters by January 15, 2011 and gives that committee 
authority to introduce suggested legislation to implement the recommendations to the 
125th Legislature.