An Act to Establish Peer Respite Centers for Adults with Mental Health Challenges in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0540
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: RANA, OSHER, PERRY, TIPPING

Legislative Document
No. 540
H.P. 345
House of Representatives, February 9, 2023
An Act to Establish Peer Respite Centers for Adults with Mental 
Health Challenges in Maine
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative RANA of Bangor.
Cosponsored by Representatives: OSHER of Orono, PERRY of Bangor, Senator: TIPPING of 
Penobscot.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  34-B MRSA c. 3, sub-c. 3, art. 3 is enacted to read:
ARTICLE 3
INTENTIONAL PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS
§3631. Peer respite centers
1. Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Certified peer support specialist" means a peer who has successfully completed an 
intentional peer support training offered through the department.
B. "Intentional peer support" means support offered by a certified peer support 
specialist through a community-based and evidence-based program.
C. "Peer" means a person who has experience living with mental health crises, 
including trauma, and has experience being a consumer of the mental health system.
D. "Peer respite center" or "center" means a residential living environment managed 
and staffed by peers that offers an intentional peer support program offered by a 
certified peer support specialist to persons with mental health needs.
2. Establishment of peer respite centers required.  The department shall establish 
through contracts 2 peer respite centers in the State for persons 18 years of age or older.  
The centers must provide 24-hour intentional peer support to persons in need of mental 
health services on a voluntary, short-term basis.  The centers must be:
A. In geographically diverse locations in the State;
B. Located in areas of the State that have populations with a high utilization rate of 
crisis services, according to data maintained by the department; and
C. Operated by:
(1) A peer-run organization; or
(2) An organization with a board of directors or an advisory group in which 51% 
or more of its members are peers.
3. Rulemaking.  The department shall prescribe by rule the requirements for its 
contracts with peer respite centers, including required data reporting or other reports to 
allow the department to monitor and evaluate the services provided by the centers.  The 
department shall adopt other rules as necessary to implement this section.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Z199
Initiative: Provides ongoing funding for 2 peer respite centers established through contracts 
by the Department of Health and Human Services.
GENERAL FUND
2023-24
2024-25
All Other
$1,000,000
$1,000,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$1,000,000
$1,000,000
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish 2 peer 
respite centers in the State.