An Act To Cut the Cost of Behavioral Health Care in Hospital Emergency Rooms and To Enhance Access to Peer Support and Community-based Services
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0967
Committee Amendment CA_A_H424 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to H.P. 711, L.D. 967, Bill, "An Act To Cut 
the Cost of Behavioral Health Care in Hospital Emergency Rooms and To Enhance 
Access to Peer Support and Community-based Services" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Study the Cost of Providing Behavioral Health Care and Substance 
Abuse Services' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 
Review of emergency department usage. 
Resolved: 
That the 
Department of Heaith and Human Services, referred to in this resolve as "the 
department," shall consult with agencies and entities that possess relevant data regarding 
usage of hospital services and shall determine, on an annual basis, the number and 
percentage of persons who present at hospital emergency departments with behavioral 
health or substance abuse issues and the number and percentage of persons who present at 
hospital emergency departments for only behavioral health or substance abuse issues and 
the number and percentage of those persons who could be served through more 
appropriate community-based services; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Work with stakeholders. Resolved: That the department shall work 
with a broad group of stakeholders to determine the reasons that persons present at 
hospital emergency departments for only behavioral health or substance abuse issues, the 
barriers to care that prevent them from seeking care from more appropriate 
community-based services and the estimated potential cost savings associated with 
shifting care from hospital emergency departments to community-based services; and be 
1 
it further 
Sec. 3. Review best practice models. Resolved: That the department shall 
review best practice models for training emergency depaliment personnel, for triage to 
determine appropriate care settings and, when appropriate, for diverting care to 
community-based services for persons who present tor only behavioral health or 
substance abuse issues. 
The department shall pay special attention to consumer 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~ 
o~ S 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A 
"to H.P. 711, L.D. 967 
preference; peer support services; sharing of assessments, information and records among 
community-based services and hospitals; licensing, regulatory and contractual changes 
required for diversion to community-based services; and innovations to address the 
requirements of the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act; and be 
it further 
Sec. 4. Report; recommendations. Resolved: That, by March 1, 2012, the 
department shall report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services 
recommendations for augmented community-based services, including peer support 
services, in at least 2 different best practice models for service delivery that could be 
funded by the cost savings identified in section 2 resulting from diversion from hospital 
emergency departments of cases better served through community-based services.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill, which is a concept draft. 
It reqmres the 
Department of Health and Human Services to review the use of hospital emergency 
departments by persons requiring only behavioral health and substance abuse services. 
The amendment requires the department to identify care that could be delivered in 
community-based settings, to review models for triage and diversion, to estimate 
potential cost savings and to report recommendations by March 1, 2012 to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Health and Human Services. 
FISCAL ?\OTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05124111 
fri2C 
LD967 
LR 1260(02) 
An Act To Cut the Cost of Behavioral Health Care in Hospital Emergency Rooms and To Enhance 
Access to Peer Support and Community-based Services 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Re.quired: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted 
resources. 
LRI260(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1