An Act To Ensure Services for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0637
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: CAIN, SCHNEIDER

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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124th ·MAINE LEGISLATURE 
FIRST REGUL~R SESSION-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 637 
H.P.451 
House of Representatives, February 19, 2009 
An Act To Ensure Services for Adults with Developmental 
Disabilities 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative CAIN of Orono. 
Cosponsored by Senator SCHNEIDER of Penobscot. 
Printed on recycled p .. per 
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1J1.17!tI£~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People ofthe State ofMai~e as follows: 
Sec. 1. 34-B MR.SA §5003-A, sub-§2, ~, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 356, §16 
and affected by §31, is amended to read: 
F. Strive toward having a sufficient number of personnel who are qualified and 
experienced to provide treatment that is beneficial to persons with mental retardation 
or autism; aH€l 
Sec. 2. 34-B MR.SA §5003-A, suh-§2, IIffG, as enacted byPL 2007, c. 356, §16 
.and affected by §31, is amended toread: 
G. 
Encourage other departments to provide to persons with mental retardation or 
autism those services that are required by law, and in particular: 
(1) The commissioner shall work actively with the Commissioner of Education 
to ensure that persons with mental retardation or autism receive appropriate 
services upon being diagnosed with either disability regardless of the degree of 
retardation or autism or accompanying disabilities or handicaps; 
(2) The commissioner shall advise other departments about standards and 
policies pertaining to administration, staff, quality of care, quality of treatment, 
health and safety of clients, rights of clients, community relations and licensing 
procedures and other areas that affect persons with mental retardation or autism 
residing in facilities licensed by the department; and 
. 
(3) 
The COITIlTIlSSlOner shall inform the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over human resources matters about areas where 
increased cooperation by other departments is necessary in order to improve the 
delivery of services to persons with mental retardation or autism·; and 
·24 
Sec. 3. 34-B MR.SA §5003-A, sub-§2, «ffH is enacted to read: 
H. Provide health coverage through the MaineCare program under Title 22, chapter 
. 
for an adult with mental retardation or autism who· is an incapacitated person 
who is fmancially eligible for the program. 
S~Y 
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide health 
coverage under the MaineCare program for an adult with mental retardation or autism 
who is incapacitated and fmancially eligible for MaineCare. 
Page I - 124LRl717(Ol)-1 
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