Bill
Bill > LD858
ME LD858
An Act to Ensure Behavioral and Mental Health Services Are Available to Students by Providing Grants to Schools That Contract for Those Services
summary
Introduced
03/04/2025
03/04/2025
In Committee
03/04/2025
03/04/2025
Crossed Over
05/28/2025
05/28/2025
Passed
05/29/2025
05/29/2025
Dead
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
132nd Legislature
Bill 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.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a behavioral and mental health grant program administered by the Maine Department of Education to provide financial support to school administrative units that contract for mental health services. The grant program will allocate funds to schools based on their student population: schools with 250 or fewer students will receive $3,000, schools with 251-500 students will receive $6,000, and schools with over 500 students will receive $9,000. These grant funds can only be used for behavioral and mental health services that are not already covered by MaineCare (Maine's Medicaid program) and must be used in a way that does not replace existing school mental health staff. The bill also includes an appropriation of $1,353,000 from the General Fund for each of the fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support this grant program. Additionally, the bill modifies the existing subchapter heading to reflect the expanded focus on behavioral and mental health services.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (6)
Lori Gramlich (D)*,
Michael Brennan (D),
Ed Crockett (D),
Janice Dodge (D),
Kelly Noonan Murphy (D),
Holly Sargent (D),
Last Action
Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED by Committee Amendment "A" (H-289) in concurrence. (on 05/29/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=858&snum=132 |
| House: C-A (H-289) | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0544&item=2&snum=132 |
| Fiscal Note: C-A (H-289) | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_132nd/fiscalpdfs/FN085802.pdf |
| Fiscal Note: Text | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_132nd/fiscalpdfs/FN085801.pdf |
| BillText | https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0544&item=1&snum=132 |
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