An Act To Create Mental Health Liaison Positions in Each County Jail
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0966
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MALABY, BRAKEY, DILLINGHAM, HANINGTON, HAWKE, HEAD, KINNEY, PICKETT, SANDERSON, SIROCKI
Amends: 34-B MRSA §1226

Legislative Document
No. 966
H.P. 679
House of Representatives, March 9, 2017
An Act To Create Mental Health Liaison Positions in Each County 
Jail
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MALABY of Hancock.
Cosponsored by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin and
Representatives: DILLINGHAM of Oxford, HANINGTON of Lincoln, HAWKE of Boothbay 
Harbor, HEAD of Bethel, KINNEY of Knox, PICKETT of Dixfield, SANDERSON of 
Chelsea, SIROCKI of Scarborough.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  34-B MRSA §1226 is enacted to read: 
§1226.  County or regional jail mental health liaisons 
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A.  "Diversion plan" means a plan to reduce or eliminate the time a person with a 
serious mental illness is incarcerated by redirecting the person from the criminal 
justice system to community-based treatment and support. 
B.  "Mental health liaison" means a person who coordinates and oversees mental 
health support and services for persons with serious mental illness in a county or 
regional jail. 
C.  "Serious mental illness" means a mental illness, emotional impairment, substance 
use disorder or developmental or learning disability that adversely affects the daily 
functions of a person, as determined by a qualified mental health professional. 
2.  Mental health liaisons.  The department shall contract with a private provider of 
behavioral health services and advocacy to place a mental health liaison in every county 
or regional jail under Title 30-A, chapter 13.  The duties and responsibilities of a mental 
health liaison include: 
A.  Overseeing of all persons detained at the jail who are evaluated for serious mental 
illness under section 1219, subsection 2, paragraph B including: 
(1)  Connecting a person with a serious mental illness to services provided at the 
county or regional jail; 
(2)  Developing a treatment plan for a person with a serious mental illness to be 
implemented upon the person's release; and 
(3)  For a person with a serious mental illness who is incarcerated on a Class D or 
Class E crime, developing a diversion plan. 
B.  Identifying any person detained at the county or regional jail who may be eligible 
for services through MaineCare, completing an application for MaineCare coverage 
with that person and confirming activation of MaineCare benefits or the continuation 
of MaineCare benefits pursuant to Title 22, section 3174-CC prior to that person's 
release from the county or regional jail; and 
C.  Working with the court system to ensure that all persons detained at the jail 
identified as having a serious mental illness under section 1219, subsection 2, 
paragraph B are provided due process and a speedy trial. 
Sec. 2.  Department of Health and Human Services to replace intensive 
case manager positions with privately contracted mental health liaisons.  The 
Department of Health and Human Services shall issue a request for proposals for a 
private provider of behavioral health services and advocacy to replace intensive case 
manager positions within the department with 15 mental health liaisons under the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 34-B, section 1226 to provide one mental health liaison for each 
county or regional jail. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides for a mental health liaison in each county or regional jail to oversee 
inmates with serious mental illness and connect them to the services for which they 
qualify, to work with the court system to ensure that they receive due process and speedy 
trials and to assist inmates who qualify for MaineCare to apply for and receive 
MaineCare benefits and services.  This bill directs the Department of Health and Human 
Services to issue a request for proposals to private providers of behavioral health services 
and advocacy to replace intensive case manager positions within the department to staff 
the 15 mental health liaison positions in the county and regional jails.