An Act To Allow Community-based Organizations To Participate in Diversion Projects for Persons with Substance Use Disorder”
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1466
Committee Amendment CA_A_H875 (House)
Amends: 25 MRSA §5101

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “      ” to H.P. 1073, L.D. 1466, “An Act To Allow 
Community-based Organizations To Participate in Diversion Projects for Persons with 
Substance Use Disorder”
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'An Act To Amend the Substance Use Disorder Assistance Program'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following:
'Sec. 1.  25 MRSA Pt. 13, headnote is amended to read:
PART 13
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ASSISTANCE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED 
DIVERSION
Sec. 2.  25 MRSA c. 601, headnote is amended to read:
CHAPTER 601
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM LAW ENFORCEMENT 
ASSISTED DIVERSION PROGRAM
Sec. 3.  25 MRSA §5101, as amended by PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. CCCCC, §1, is further 
amended to read:
§5101.  Substance Use Disorder Assistance Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion 
Program
1.  Substance Use Disorder Assistance Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion 
Program.  The Substance Use Disorder Assistance Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “      ” to H.P. 1073, L.D. 1466
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Program is established to support persons with presumed substance use disorder by 
providing grants to municipalities and, counties and community-based organizations in 
partnership with municipal or county law enforcement agencies to carry out programs 
designed to reduce substance use, substance use-related crimes and recidivism.  As used in 
this chapter, "community-based organization" means a nonprofit community organization 
that provides substance use disorder services to individuals, including, without limitation, 
substance use assessment, treatment, education and support group services.
2.  Eligibility; program targets; programs.  Grants may be awarded to:
A.  Municipal or county governments or, regional jails or community-based 
organizations in partnership with municipal or county law enforcement agencies for 
programs designed to assist persons with presumed substance use disorder by using 
liaison strategies both before and after arrest to refer alleged low-level offenders into 
community-based treatment and support services.  Programs may include, but are not 
limited to:
(1)  Referral of participants in the Substance Use Disorder Assistance Law 
Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program under subsection 1 to evidence-based 
treatment programs, including medically assisted treatment; and
(2)  Provision of case management services to participants in the Substance Use 
Disorder Assistance Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program under 
subsection 1 in order to secure appropriate treatment and support services such as 
housing, health care, job training and mental health services for participants in the 
Substance Use Disorder Assistance Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion 
Program;
B.  County governments for programs in county jails designed to facilitate the 
accessing by persons with presumed substance use disorder of post-adjudication 
diversion and reentry programs.  Programs may include, but are not limited to:
(1)  Provision of evidence-based treatment programs, including medically assisted 
treatment, to jail inmates; and
(2)  Provision of case management or other support services to participants in the 
Substance Use Disorder Assistance Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program 
under subsection 1 to assist in transition from jail upon release; and
C.  Municipal governments or community-based organizations in partnership with 
municipal or county law enforcement agencies for programs designed to facilitate 
pathways to community-based treatment, recovery and support services for persons 
with substance use disorder who present themselves to municipal law enforcement 
agencies and request assistance and referral to evidence-based treatment programs, 
including medically assisted treatment.
3.  Requirements.  A grant application for a program described in subsection 2 must 
include the following:
A.  A statement of purpose and measurable goals for the program and use for the funds; 
and
B.  The elements of the  program, which must include the targeted population, the 
nature of services or assistance to be provided and expected outcomes.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “      ” to H.P. 1073, L.D. 1466
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
4.  Selection of grant recipients.  The Commissioner of Public Safety shall review 
applications submitted by municipalities, counties and, regional jails and community-based 
organizations in partnership with municipal or county law enforcement agencies for grants 
under this chapter.  Preference must be given to collaborative approaches that include 
treatment providers or community-based organizations in partnership with municipal or 
county law enforcement agencies.
5.  Administration of funds.  The policy board established in this State to carry out 
the State's responsibilities under the federal Justice Assistance Act of 1984, the federal 
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, the federal Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 and the federal 
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, known as "the Justice 
Assistance Council," shall administer grant funds appropriated for use under this chapter.
6.  Reports.  A recipient of a grant under subsection 4 shall report to the Commissioner 
of Public Safety annually on the anniversary date of the grant award regarding the status of 
the program for which the grant was awarded.  The report must include a description of 
how the grant funds were spent, the results of the program and any recommendations for 
modification of the program, including any available information concerning the program's 
effectiveness in reducing substance use disorder and recidivism.'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment is the majority report of the committee.  The amendment changes the 
name of the Substance Use Disorder Assistance Program to the Law Enforcement Assisted 
Diversion Program.  The amendment retains all of the provisions of the bill that include 
community-based organizations as entities that are eligible for grants under the Law 
Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program, requiring that they apply and operate in 
partnership with municipal or county law enforcement agencies.  The amendment updates 
the language in the bill in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25, section 5101 to reflect 
amendments to the section that were enacted in Public Law 2019, chapter 343, Part 
CCCCC.
Approved: 02/25/20
LD 1466
LR 462(02)
No fiscal impact
An Act To Allow Community-based Organizations To Participate in Diversion Projects for Persons 
with Substance Use Disorder
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Fiscal Note Required: No
Fiscal Note
LR0462(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1