An Act To Set Case Load Standards for the Office of Child and Family Services
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0821
Committee Amendment CA_A_H209 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" !J,, to H.P. 595, L.D. 821, Bill, "An Act To Set 
Case Load Standards for the Office of Child and Family Services" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Review Case Loads for Child Welfare Caseworkers' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, child welfare caseworkers need sufficient time to focus on each child 
welfare case to ensure timely and thorough investigations of abuse and neglect and to 
keep children safe; and 
Whereas, the Department of Health and Human Services must begin a review of 
child welfare case loads immediately; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create. an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. Department of Health and Human Services to review case load 
standards. Resolved: 
That the Department of Health and Human Services shall 
review case load standards for child welfare caseworkers and develop standard case load 
recommendations with input from child welfare caseworkers and the Public Consulting 
Group contracted by the department under contract number CBH-19-9000. 
The 
department shall submit an initial report with its findings and recommendations on 
staffing in the department's child welfare program in relation to the standard case load 
recommendations no later than October 1, 2019 and subsequent annual reports by January 
31st of each year beginning in 2020 and ending in 2030 to the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and the joint 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. f}" to H.P. 595, L.D. 821 
legislative committee established to oversee program evaluation and government 
accountability matters. 
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this resolve 
takes effect when approved.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. It requires the Department of Health and Human 
Services to review case load standards for child welfare caseworkers and develop 
O 
standard case load recommendations with input from child welfare caseworkers and the 
Public Consulting Group. The Public Consulting Group is currently contracted with the 
department to evaluate the child welfare program. The department is required to submit a 
report by October 1, 2019 with its findings and recommendations and then submit annual 
reports on staffmg in the child welfare program in relation to the standard case load 
recommendations. The reports are submitted to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters and the joint 
legislative committee established to oversee program evaluation and government 
accountability matters. The amendment adds an emergency preamble and an emergency 
clause. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 05/01/19 feac. 
LD 821 
LR 1598(02) 
An Act To Set Case Load Standards for the Office of Child and Family Services 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 4( ,# ~d o9) 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
MinOT cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services to implement and report on the changes in this 
bill are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LRl 598(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1