An Act to Ensure Behavioral and Mental Health Services Are
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0858
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: GRAMLICH
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6672

Legislative Document
No. 858
H.P. 544
House of Representatives, March 4, 2025
An Act to Ensure Behavioral and Mental Health Services Are 
Available to Students by Providing Grants to Schools That Contract 
for Those Services
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BRENNAN of Portland, CROCKETT of Portland, DODGE 
of Belfast, MURPHY of Scarborough, SARGENT of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA c. 223, sub-c. 10, headnote is amended to read:
SUBCHAPTER 10
YOUTH BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §6672 is enacted to read:
§6672.  Behavioral and mental health grant program
1. Grant program. The department shall establish and administer a grant program to 
provide grants to school administrative units that contract for behavioral and mental health 
services provided by licensed behavioral and mental health service providers. 
2. Limitation on use of funds. Funds provided under the grant program under this 
section may be used only for behavioral and mental health services that are not otherwise 
covered or reimbursable through the MaineCare program.  Funds must be used in a manner 
that ensures that contracted behavioral and mental health service providers do not supplant 
qualified and available school administrative unit behavioral and mental health staff.
3.  Grant program funding based on population.  In administering the grant program 
under this section, the department shall provide grant funds according to the population of 
a school administrative unit as follows:
A.  Two hundred fifty or fewer students, $3,000;
B.  Two hundred fifty-one students to 500 students, $6,000; and
C.  More than 500 students, $9,000.
Sec. 3.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
School and Student Supports Z270
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for grants to school administrative units for contracted 
behavioral and mental health services for students.  The grants are based on the population 
of each school administrative unit.
GENERAL FUND
2025-26
2026-27
All Other
$1,353,000
$1,353,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$1,353,000
$1,353,000
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Education to provide 
grants to school administrative units that contract for behavioral and mental health services 
provided by licensed behavioral and mental health service providers. The bill limits the use 
of funds provided through the grant program to behavioral and mental health services that 
are not otherwise covered or reimbursable through the MaineCare program and provides 
that funds must be used in a manner that does not supplant qualified and available school 
administrative unit behavioral and mental health staff.  The bill also provides that the 
amounts of the grants must be based on a school administrative unit's population and 
provides ongoing funding for the grants starting in fiscal year 2025-26.