An Act To Make Comprehensive Substance Use Disorder Treatment Available to Maine's Incarcerated Population
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0663
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: WARREN
Amends: 34-A MRSA §1402

Legislative Document
No. 663
H.P. 490
House of Representatives, March 3, 2021
An Act To Make Comprehensive Substance Use Disorder Treatment 
Available to Maine's Incarcerated Population
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 1, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Criminal Justice and Public Safety pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative WARREN of Hallowell.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  34-A MRSA §1402, sub-§10-A is enacted to read:
10-A.  Substance use disorder treatment program.  The commissioner, in 
conjunction with the Commissioner of Health and Human Services and the director of the 
office of behavioral health within the Department of Health and Human Services, shall 
establish and maintain a comprehensive substance use disorder treatment program in the 
correctional facilities, which must, at a minimum:
A.  Provide for an evidence-based substance use disorder screening and assessment for 
each client upon intake to determine the risk of overdose or withdrawal and to 
determine treatment options;
B. Provide medically managed withdrawal from benzodiazepines, stimulants, alcohol, 
heroin and other opioids pursuant to evidence-based medical standards;
C.  Provide for all medication-assisted treatment options approved by the United States 
Food and Drug Administration for clients with substance use disorder, including 
alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder, for treatment of withdrawal, for 
maintenance therapy and for relapse prevention;
D. Include comprehensive behavioral treatment options for clients that involve 
recovery groups, individual and group counseling and clinical support;
E. Coordinate with representatives of local recovery communities, medical providers 
and other appropriate persons to offer case management, transitional and peer support, 
medication management, reentry planning and comprehensive treatment options to 
clients after release;
F. Provide initial and ongoing training and technical assistance for correctional staff 
and health care providers in each correctional facility to carry out the purposes of the 
program; and
G. Track data and outcomes of clients to understand the effectiveness of the program.
A health care provider working inside the department must be capable of providing all 
relevant medications and services included in this subsection and establish connections 
with community-based providers to ensure continuity of care for each client.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Commissioner of Corrections to establish and maintain a 
substance use disorder treatment program in the correctional facilities, which must provide 
for substance use disorder screening and assessment on intake, medically managed 
withdrawal, all medication-assisted treatment options approved by the United States Food 
and Drug Administration and comprehensive behavioral treatment options, and coordinate 
with representatives of local recovery communities, medical providers and others for 
reentry planning and comprehensive treatment options after release.  This bill requires 
initial and ongoing training to correctional staff and health care providers in each facility 
and tracking of data and outcomes and also requires that health care providers within the 
facilities be able to carry out all requirements of the program.