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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1203
S.P. 492 In Senate, March 20, 2025
An Act to Provide Grants to Schools That Contract for Behavioral
and Mental Health Services
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative MURPHY of Scarborough and
Senators: BENNETT of Oxford, INGWERSEN of York, MOORE of Washington,
RAFFERTY of York, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, Representatives: CARLOW of Buxton,
DODGE of Belfast, MITCHELL of Cumberland.
Page 1 - 132LR2343(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA c. 223, sub-c. 10, headnote is amended to read:
3SUBCHAPTER 10
4YOUTH BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING
5Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §6672 is enacted to read:
6§6672. Behavioral and mental health grant program
71. Grant program. The department shall establish and administer a grant program to
8 provide grants to school administrative units that contract for behavioral and mental health
9 services provided by licensed behavioral and mental health service providers.
102. Limitation on use of funds. Funds provided under the grant program under this
11 section may be used only for behavioral and mental health services that are not otherwise
12 covered or reimbursable through the MaineCare program. Funds must be used in a manner
13 that ensures that contracted behavioral and mental health service providers do not supplant
14 qualified and available school administrative unit behavioral and mental health staff.
153. Grant program funding based on clinicians needed. In administering the grant
16 program under this section, the department shall provide grant funds to a school
17 administrative unit based on the number of clinicians needed by the school administrative
18 unit and in the amount of:
19 A. Prior to July 1, 2027, $20,000 per clinician; and
20 B. Beginning July 1, 2027, $25,000 per clinician.
21Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
22 allocations are made.
23EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
24School and Student Supports Z270
25 Initiative: Provides one-time funds for grants to school administrative units for contracted
26 behavioral and mental health services for students. The grants are based on how many
27 clinicians the school administrative unit needs at a cost of $20,000 per clinician.
GENERAL FUND 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $3,000,000 $3,000,000
__________ __________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL $3,000,000 $3,000,000
28SUMMARY
29 This bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Education to provide
30 grants to school administrative units that contract for behavioral and mental health services
31 provided by licensed behavioral and mental health service providers. The bill limits the use
32 of funds provided through the grant program to behavioral and mental health services that
33 are not otherwise covered or reimbursable through the MaineCare program and provides
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34 that funds must be used in a manner that does not supplant qualified and available school
35 administrative unit behavioral and mental health staff. The bill also provides that the
36 amounts of the grants must be based on a school administrative unit's need for clinicians
37 and in the amount of $20,000 per clinician prior to July 1, 2027 and $25,000 per clinician
38 beginning July 1, 2027. The bill provides funding for the grants for fiscal years 2025-26
39 and 2026-27.
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