An Act To Ensure the Safety of Children in the MaineCare Program Who Are Prescribed Antipsychotic Medications
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0646
Committee Amendment CA_A_H408 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" 
"to H.P. 476, L.D. 646, Bill, "An Act To 
Ensure the Safety of Children in the MaineCare Program Who Are Prescribed 
Antipsychotic Medications" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Improve Communication Regarding and the Coordination of Care for 
Children Who Are Prescribed Antipsychotic Medications' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 
Department of Health and Human Services committee on 
antipsychotic medications for children. Resolved: 
That the psychiatric work 
group within the Department of Health and Human Services shall convene a committee 
on antipsychotic medications for children, consisting of state employees with experience 
in children's mental health and private sector stakeholders as determined by the 
psychiatric work group and referred to in this section as "the committee," to review case 
management and the coordination of care for children who are prescribed antipsychotic 
medications, to examine current channels of communication among clinicians, case 
workers and foster families regarding the care for children who are prescribed 
antipsychotic medications and to make any recommendations for improvements as 
determined to be appropriate by the committee. The committee shall identify known side 
effects of antipsychotic medications and consider possible means of mitigating or 
avoiding those side effects. 
The committee must be chaired by the chair of the 
psychiatric work group or the designee of that person and must include members of the 
public and representatives appointed by the chair of the psychiatric work group from 
some or all of the fol/owing state agencies and advocacy organizations: the Bureau of 
Child and Family Services and the Office of MaineCare Services within the Department 
of Health and Human Services, the Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians, the 
Maine Parent Federation, the Maine Children's Alliance and an organization representing 
the interests of foster families in the State. The department shall fund the work of the 
committee from within existing resources. The department shall report the committee's 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
<;::OMMITIEE AMENDMENT "4" to H.P. 476, L.D. 646 
findings and any recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and 
Human Services not later than January 15,2012.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve establishing a committee to consider 
the current case management and coordination of care for children who are prescribed 
antipsychotic medications and to make recommendations for improvement in the care of 
such children. The Department of Health and Human Services is required to report the 
committee's findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Health 
and Human Services not later than January 15, 2012. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/25/11 frac.. 
LD646 
LR 167(02) 
An Act To Ensure the Safety of Children in the MaineCare Program Who Are Prescribed 
Antipsychotic Medications 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "pit 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
The additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted 
resources. 
LROI67(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1