An Act To Expand Access to Mental Health and Crisis Care for Individuals in Jails and Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1968
Committee Amendment CA_A_SA_A_S638 (Senate)

SENATE AMENDMENT" ft "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1463, 
L.D. 1968, "An Act To Expand Access to Mental Health and Crisis Care for Individuals in 
Jails and Individuals Experiencing Homelessness" 
Amend the amendment by inserting after the title the following: 
'Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Ensure Appropriate Placement of Defendants with Mental Illness and 
Intellectual Disabilities' ' 
Amend the amendment in Part A in section 1 in subsection 10 in the last line (page 1, 
line 21 in amendment) by inserting after the following: "Service" the following: ', unless 
an extraordinary circumstance causes a necessary delay. The Commissioner of Health and 
Human Services shall notify the court of the extraordinary circumstance causing a delay' 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of Parts B, C, D and E. 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment amends Committee Amendment "A" by: 
1. Amending Part A to provide that a transfer of a defendant to the custody of the 
Commissioner of Health and Human Services for placement in an institution for the care 
and placement of persons with mental illness or in an appropriate residential program that 
provides care and treatment for persons who have intellectual disabilities or autism as a 
result of a court order must be within 30 days from the time the order is transmitted to the 
State Forensic Service, unless an extraordinary circumstance causes a necessary delay. The 
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amendment also requires the commissioner to notify the court of the extraordinary 
circumstance causing a delay; 
2. Removing Part B, which requires the Maine State Housing Authority to implement 
the so-called frequent users systems engagement plan developed pursuant to Resolve 2021, 
chapter 23; 
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3. Removing Part C, which requires the Department of Health and Human Services to 
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develop a comprehensive system of residential care for adults and children with high levels 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
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SENATE AMENDMENT"'(}-" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1463, L.D. 1968 ( S· iJ2 ::> B) 
of behavioral health needs who are at risk of involvement with the criminal justice system 
or who, because of their behaviors, require high levels of staffing; 
4. Removing Part D, which requires the Department of Health and Human Services to 
report biannually for a period of 5 years to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over health and human services matters on the number of licensed 
psychiatric inpatient beds and licensed residential treatment beds for adults with serious 
and persistent mental illness, substance use disorder, developmental disabilities and autism 
and for children with behavioral health diagnoses; and 
SPONSORED BY: ...1._...~..L..:.:....__.=...++-+-L...:::::::.::====----
(Senator BREEN, C.) 
COUNTY: Cumberland 
SENATE AMENDMENT