An Act to Promote Family-centered Interventions for Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1439
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MADIGAN, FARRIN, GRAMLICH, PERRY, SAYRE, SHAGOURY, STOVER, SUPICA
Amends: 5 MRSA §20056

Legislative Document
No. 1439
H.P. 935
House of Representatives, March 30, 2023
An Act to Promote Family-centered Interventions for Substance Use 
Disorder Treatment
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MADIGAN of Waterville.
Cosponsored by Senator FARRIN of Somerset and
Representatives: GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, PERRY of Calais, SAYRE of 
Kennebunk, SHAGOURY of Hallowell, STOVER of Boothbay, SUPICA of Bangor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §20056 is enacted to read:
§20056.  Substance use disorder intervention services
An authorized person may request an intervention with a hospital or treatment program 
in accordance with this section.
1. Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Authorized person" means a family member, friend or guardian of the person in 
need of treatment who requests or has requested an intervention.
B. "Intervention" means a meeting facilitated by a licensed substance use disorder 
professional with the authorized person, person in need of treatment and any other 
relevant persons to discuss concerns about the substance use of the person in need of 
treatment including the need to enter treatment.
C. "Licensed substance use disorder professional" means a person licensed under Title 
32, chapter 31, 36, 48, 56, 81, 83 or 119 with experience treating persons with 
substance use disorder.
D. "Peer recovery coach" means a person recovering from substance use disorder who 
is trained to provide peer mentoring and coaching to a person with substance use 
disorder.
E. "Person in need of treatment" means a person with substance use disorder for whom 
treatment under this section is sought.
2. Intervention; facilitated meeting.  When an authorized person requests an 
intervention for a person in need of treatment who is hospitalized, the hospital shall offer 
an intervention or treatment program services while the person in need of treatment is a 
patient in the hospital or awaiting treatment in an emergency department.  The hospital 
shall also organize an intervention meeting facilitated by a licensed substance use disorder 
professional with experience in facilitating interventions.  The intervention must include 
the person in need of treatment, authorized person, a peer recovery coach and family 
members or friends of the person in need of treatment.  The licensed substance use disorder 
professional may meet with the authorized person and family members or friends of the 
person in need of treatment about how to make the intervention successful.
3. Recommendations by licensed substance use disorder professionals.  The person 
in need of treatment must be examined by 2 licensed substance use disorder professionals, 
one of whom must be a physician licensed under Title 32, chapter 36 or 48.  The 
examination must consist of:
A. Separate meetings with the person in need of treatment, authorized person and 
family members or friends of the person in need of treatment;
B. The review and consideration of the person in need of treatment's co-occurring 
medical and mental health diagnoses;
C. An assessment of the person in need of treatment's safety and treatment needs; and
D. Referrals to recovery support services in the person in need of treatment's 
community.
The licensed substance use disorder professionals shall submit their findings and 
recommendations to the person in need of treatment.  The recommendations must include 
the type, scope and duration of treatment appropriate for the person in need of treatment 
and information on how to access those services.
4. Services provided; hospitals.  A hospital shall do the following when a person with 
substance use disorder is admitted as an inpatient for the treatment of substance use disorder 
or a medical issue related to substance use disorder:
A.  Offer information to authorized persons and family members or friends about how 
to access the intervention services recommended in subsection 3;
B.  Follow up with persons with substance use disorders who are among the most 
frequent 10% of inpatient admissions for substance use disorder, or cause a follow-up 
to be conducted by the department, to discuss options for treatment with the individual;
C. Request information from the authorized person and family members or friends to 
assess the ability of the person in need of treatment to adequately perform self-care 
when medical issues impact brain or other bodily function; and
D.  Develop discharge plans that include the authorized person and family members or 
friends when there are unresolved medical issues, including those associated with 
substance use disorder or detoxification.  The discharge plans must include home 
health service referrals when appropriate.
5.  Services providers; substance use disorder treatment; detoxification.  A 
substance use disorder treatment provider or provider of detoxification services that 
receives any reimbursement from MaineCare or state-funded contracts shall provide 
intervention services as described in this section, coordinate family support groups and 
provide them with educational resources and refer persons in need of treatment to 
appropriate services.
6.  Department requirements; identification of providers; training.  The Office of 
Behavioral Health within the department shall identify providers of substance use disorder 
intervention services and provide a list to hospitals, substance use disorder treatment 
providers, providers of detoxification services, authorized persons, persons in need of 
treatment and any other person who requests such a list.  The department shall also 
coordinate opportunities for training to become a provider of intervention services.  A 
provider of intervention services may be a licensed substance use disorder professional, 
licensed social worker, peer recovery coach or other person with experience and training 
in providing interventions and family engagement that the department determines 
appropriate.
7.  Public awareness.  A hospital licensed under Title 22, chapter 405 shall post 
information in its emergency department about how individuals with substance use disorder 
can access services and how an authorized person can request an intervention as described 
in this section.  The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection no later than 
January 1, 2024.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as 
defined in chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a process to connect individuals with substance use disorder with 
treatment services and connect family members and friends with supportive services.  It 
requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a list of providers of 
substance use disorder services and identify options for coordinating training of potential 
providers.  It requires hospitals to respond to requests for interventions from family 
members or friends of a person with substance use disorder.  It requires a hospital to post 
information in its emergency department.  It requires hospitals to offer services, follow up 
with individuals who frequently require admission for substance use disorder, request input 
from family members about the ability of the person to perform self-care and develop 
discharge plans with appropriate services.