An Act To Expand and Enhance Maine's Behavioral Health Direct Care Workforce
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1007
Committee Amendment CA_A_H499 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A,, to H.P. 749, L.D. 1007, Bill, "An Act To 
Expand and Enhance Maine's Behavioral Health Direct Care Workforce" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Change the Educational Requirements of Certain Behavioral Health 
Professionals' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to amend rules 
governing educational requirements for behavioral health professionals 
providing home and community-based treatment. Resolved: That, no later 
than January 1, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rnle 
Chapter 101, MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter II, Section 65 to change the 
educational requirements for behavioral health professionals providing services for 
children's home and community-based treatment to allow the following educational 
requirements: 
1. A minimum of 60 higher education credit hours in a related field of social services, 
human services, health or education; 
2. A minimum of 90 higher education credit hours in an unrelated field with the 
provider required to have a specific plan for supervision and training documented in the 
personnel file of the employee; or 
3. 
A high school diploma or equivalent and a minimum of 3 years of direct 
experience working with children in a behavioral health children's services program with 
the provider required to have a specific plan for supervision and training documented in 
the personnel file of the employee. 
The changes to educational requirements required by this resolve do not affect the 
requirements for behavioral health professional training and the prescribed time frames. 
Sec. 2. Training within existing resources. Resolved: That the Department 
of Health and Human Services shall amend or establish contracts to train any additional 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. 4, to H.P. 749, L.D. 1007 
number of individuals engaging in training to become behavioral health professionals 
providing children's home and community-based treatment services within existing 
resources. The department may make any changes necessary, including choosing to 
charge individuals or their employers fees for training, in order to offer training within 
existing resources.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the concept draft. It changes the educational requirements 
for behavioral health professionals providing children's home and community-based 
treatment to replace the requirement for a bachelor's degree to a minimum of 60 credit 
hours in a related field, 90 credit hours in an unrelated field combined with a plan for 
supervision and training or a high school diploma or equivalent with 3 years of 
experience working in the field combined with a plan for supervision and training. The 
educational requirements do not change the required behavioral health professional 
training or the prescribed time frames for that training. It also requires the Department of 
Health and Human Services to amend or establish contracts for training behavioral health 
professionals to train any additional individuals within existing resources, and authorizes 
the department to opt to charge individuals or their employers fees for training. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 06/03/19 Mac.. 
LD 1007 
LR2085(02) 
An Act To Expand and Enhance Maine's Behavioral Health Direct Care Workforce 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 
1,41 ( H- ~ 9? \ 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
) 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Changing the educational requirements to qualify to be a behavioral health professional (BHP) providing children's 
home and community-based treatment will lead to an increase in the number of BHPs and an increase in the amount of 
professional training required by BHPs. Currently, the training for BHPs is provided through a 3rd-party contract 
funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This bill allows the DHHS to amend or establish 
contracts to stay within existing resources while training a greater number of individuals. The DHHS may make any 
changes necessary, including choosing to charge fees from individuals or their employers, in order to offer the training 
within existing resources. As this bill provides no new funding, the impact of these new costs on other programs in the 
DHHS cannot be determined at this time. 
LR2085(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1