Resolve, Regarding Sober Living Transitional Assistance
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1413
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: CHIPMAN, HAMANN, BRAKEY, DENNO, HEAD, HYMANSON, MADIGAN, MALABY, PARKER, PERRY

Legislative Document
No. 1413
S.P. 491
In Senate, April 11, 2017
Resolve, Regarding Sober Living Transitional Assistance
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative HAMANN of South Portland and
Senator: BRAKEY of Androscoggin, Representatives: DENNO of Cumberland, HEAD of 
Bethel, HYMANSON of York, MADIGAN of Waterville, MALABY of Hancock, PARKER 
of South Berwick, PERRY of Calais.
Sec. 1.  Help Me Recover Fund established.  Resolved:  That the Help Me 
Recover Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established within the 
Department of Health and Human Services to provide grants to persons to use as a 
deposit and first month rent payment for housing in a recovery residence.  The fund 
consists of any money received as contributions, grants or appropriations from private 
and public sources.  To be eligible for a grant from the fund a person must be ready for 
discharge from a detoxification or residential treatment program and be financially unable 
to provide a deposit and first month rent payment for housing in a recovery residence.  
The Department of Health and Human Services shall enter into a contract with a 
nonprofit organization with experience in substance use disorder treatment or recovery to 
administer and make distributions from the fund.  The contract must allow the nonprofit 
organization to retain a maximum of $4,000 for administrative services and must require 
the nonprofit organization to establish an applicant review process that, at a minimum: 
1.  Includes the use of a review committee of which at least 60% of committee 
members are peer reviewers.  For purposes of this subsection, "peer reviewer" includes, 
but is not limited to, former residents of a recovery residence; 
2.  Determines the readiness of an applicant to join a recovery residence; and 
3.  Ensures that the recovery residence at which an applicant will be housed is 
certified by a nonprofit organization that oversees standards for recovery residences in the 
State or that the recovery residence's certification is pending; and be it further 
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  Resolved:  That the following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
Help Me Recover Fund  N237 
Initiative:  Provides one-time funding to the Help Me Recover Fund to provide grants to 
persons being discharged from detoxification or residential treatment programs to use as a 
deposit and first month rent payment for housing in a recovery residence. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve establishes the Help Me Recover Fund within the Department of Health 
and Human Services to provide grants to persons being discharged from detoxification or 
residential treatment programs to use as a deposit and first month rent payment for 
housing in a recovery residence.  To be eligible for a grant from the fund a person must 
be financially unable to provide a deposit and first month rent payment.  The resolve
GENERAL FUND 
2017-18
2018-19
All Other 
$50,000
$0
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$50,000
$0
directs the department to enter into a contract with a nonprofit organization with 
experience in substance use disorder treatment or recovery to administer and make 
distributions from the fund.