LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S CHAPTER
SIGNATURE
159
APRIL 17, 2022 RESOLVES
STATE OF MAINE
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IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO
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H.P. 241 - L.D. 343
Resolve, To Review Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Spending
Sec. 1. Commissioner of Health and Human Services to review Maternal
and Child Health Block Grant spending. Resolved: That the Commissioner of
Health and Human Services shall establish a partnership to review Department of Health
and Human Services spending of funds received pursuant to the federal Maternal and Child
Health Block Grant, referred to in this resolve as "the block grant." The partnership must
be between representatives of tribal public health districts, representatives of the Permanent
Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations established
pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-J, subsection 19 and
representatives of the department. The partnership shall review the following:
1. The total amount of block grant funds received by the State;
2. The entities and programs funded by the block grant;
3. The populations served by the entities and programs funded by the block grant;
4. The decision-making process the department uses to determine what entities and
programs receive block grant funding and how much each receives;
5. The effects and outcomes in populations served by the entities and programs funded
by the block grant;
6. How best to define "vulnerable populations" within the State; and
7. Existing gaps in funding of vulnerable populations by the block grant.
Sec. 2. Report to Legislature. Resolved: That, no later than February 1, 2023, the
Commissioner of Health and Human Services shall submit a report, drafted by the
partnership under section 1, regarding the review conducted pursuant to this resolve and
making recommendations, including recommendations for changes to policy and relating
to the award of block grant funds, recommendations for specific measures or reserving of
block grant funds for certain populations and recommendations for the establishment of a
permanent partnership to review federal block grants received by the Department of Health
and Human Services and including suggested legislation, to the joint standing committee
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters. The joint
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standing committee may report out legislation on the subject matter of the report to the
131st Legislature in 2023.
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