Resolve, to Reduce Workforce Barriers for Mental Health Professionals in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0997
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: SALISBURY, INGWERSEN, BRENNAN, GRAHAM, MADIGAN, PERRY

Legislative Document
No. 997
H.P. 633
House of Representatives, March 7, 2023
Resolve, to Reduce Workforce Barriers for Mental Health 
Professionals in Maine
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SALISBURY of Westbrook.
Cosponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York and
Representatives: BRENNAN of Portland, GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, MADIGAN of 
Waterville, PERRY of Calais.
Sec. 1.  Department of Health and Human Services to amend rules 
governing education requirements for behavioral health professionals 
providing services for children.  Resolved:  That, no later than October 1, 2023, the 
Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rule Chapter 101: MaineCare 
Benefits Manual, Chapter II, Section 28 and Section 65 to change the educational 
requirements for all behavioral health professionals providing services for children, 
regardless of the setting in which the service is provided, and for such behavioral health 
professionals to receive training to provide specialized services 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; or
3. A high school diploma or equivalent with training and oversight as determined by 
the department in addition to the training provided for certification as a behavioral health 
professional.
In adopting rules under this section, the Department of Health and Human Services 
shall ensure that the training and oversight requirements for persons with a high school 
diploma or equivalent are consistent in both Section 28 and Section 65 of the department's 
rule Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual, Chapter II.
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 number of 
additional individuals to become behavioral health professionals providing services for 
children pursuant to section 1, regardless of the setting in which the service is provided, 
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.
Sec. 3.  Department of Health and Human Services to amend its guidelines 
on community-based mental health rehabilitation technician certification.  
Resolved:  That, no later than October 1, 2023, the Department of Health and Human 
Services 
shall 
amend 
its 
guidelines 
for 
the 
mental 
health 
rehabilitation 
technician/community certification, also known as an MHRT/C certification, in order to 
allow an individual who has completed a 4-year postsecondary educational degree program 
in a mental health-related field or obtained a graduate degree in a mental health-related 
field to receive the MHRT/C certification regardless of whether the individual has met the 
requirements regarding the competency-based program contracted by the department, as 
long as the individual has met the 3 so-called priority domains identified in the certification 
program.
SUMMARY
This resolve changes the educational requirements for behavioral health professionals 
providing services for children, regardless of the setting in which the service is provided, 
to a minimum of 60 credit hours in a related field, 90 credit hours in an unrelated field or a 
high school diploma or equivalent with training and oversight as determined by the 
Department of Health and Human Services in addition to the training provided for 
certification as a behavioral health professional.  It requires the department to amend or 
establish contracts for training behavioral health professionals to train any number of 
additional individuals within existing resources and authorizes the department to opt to 
charge individuals or their employers fees for training.
The resolve also requires the department to amend its guidelines regarding certification 
for mental health rehabilitation technician/community technicians so that an individual 
who has completed a 4-year postsecondary educational degree program in a mental health-
related field or a graduate degree in a mental health-related field does not have to meet all 
competency domains in the training contracted from the department as long as the 
individual has met the 3 priority domains.