An Act To Enhance and Increase the Availability of Mental Health Providers in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1879
Committee Amendment CA_A_H759 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"/}-" to H.P. 1311, L.D. 1879, Bill, "An Act To 
Enhance and Increase the Availability of Mental Health Providers in Maine" 
Amend the bill by inserting after the enacting clause and before section 1 the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 10 MRSA c. 110, sub-c. 2-B, as amended, is repealed.' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in § 12941 by striking out all of subsection 3 (page 1, lines 
to 28 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
13. Mental health provider. "Mental health provider" means an individual who 
possesses, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree from a qualified institution of higher 
education and who practices in the State as: 
A. An individual licensed under Title 32, chapter 83; or 
B. An individual licensed under Title 32, chapter 119.' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in §12942 in subsection 2 by striking out all of paragraph 
D (page 2, lines 12 to 23 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'D. Practice in an underserved practice area in the State as defined in rule, including 
but not limited to the practice of mental health care or social work: 
(1) In a public or private child welfare or family service agency; 
(2) In a public or private educational institution, kindergarten to grade 12; 
(3) In a public or private hospital; 
( 4) In a federally qualified health center; 
(5) In a community-based behavioral health center; 
(6) In a public interest law service; 
(7) In a public child care facility; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 1311, L.D. 1879 
(8) In a public service for individuals with disabilities; 
(9) In a public service for the elderly; 
(10) In a public service for veterans: or 
(11) At an organization exempt from taxation under the United States Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986, Section 50l(c)(3) or 50l(c)(6):' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in §12944 in the first paragraph in the first line (page 3, 
line 11 in L.D.) by strildng out the following: 
11may
and inserting the following: 'shall' 
Amend the bill by strildng out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE 
Maine Mental Health Providers Loan Repayment Fund N281 
Initiative: Provides a one-time appropriation for the repayment of student loans for 
certain mental health providers who practice in underserved practice areas and to pay the 
administrative costs of the fund. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2017-18 
$1,000,000 
$1,000,000 
2018-19 
$0 
$0 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
The bill establishes the Maine Mental Health Providers Loan Repayment Program, 
which allows certain types of licensed social workers and professional counselors to 
apply for loan repayment assistance, as long as the applicants agree to practice for 5 years 
in one of a list of underserved practice areas in the State. This amendment expands the 
pool of providers eligible to apply for the program to include all social workers licensed 
by the State Board of Social Worker Licensure and all counselors licensed by the Board 
of Counseling Professionals Licensure and expands the categories of underserved practice 
areas to include federally qualified health centers, community-based behavioral health 
centers and organizations exempt from taxation under the United States Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, Section 501(c)(6). 
The amendment further clarifies that the program is funded through a one-time 
appropriation of $1,000,000, rather than an ongoing appropriation as in the bill. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEEAMENDMENT",4"toH.P.1311,L.D.1879 
The amendment also repeals the currently unfunded Social Work Education Loan 
Repayment Program in the Maine Revised Statutes. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Revised: 04/10/18 ;:l.,;rac 
LD 1879 
LR 2946(02) 
An Act To Enhance and Increase the Availability of Mental Health Providers in Maine 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,A { I./~ 75'/) 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2017-18 
FY 2018-19 
Projections 
FY 2019-20 
Projections 
FY 2020-21 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$1,000,000 
$1,000,000 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
This bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation of $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2017-18 to a newly created 
Maine Mental Health Providers Loan Repayment Fund within the Finance Authority of Maine as part of a new Maine 
Mental Health Providers Loan Repayment Program established to provide up to 3 qualified applicants with $5,000 per 
year for a period of 5 years to assist the applicant in the repayment of student loans. 
LR2946(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1