LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S CHAPTER
SIGNATURE
472
JULY 15, 2021 PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
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IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE
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H.P. 710 - L.D. 964
An Act To Expand Access to Certified Substance Use Disorder Recovery
Residence Services
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA c. 521, sub-c. 3-A is enacted to read:
SUBCHAPTER 3-A
RECOVERY
§20057. Certified recovery residences
Beginning July 1, 2022, recovery residences must be certified pursuant to the
requirements established in section 20005, subsection 22, to receive:
1. Contracts. Any department contract for a recovery residence or services related to
the recovery residence; or
2. Housing assistance. To the extent not in conflict with federal law, any housing
assistance or voucher provided by the department, the Maine State Housing Authority or a
municipality provided to or for the person recovering from substance use disorder.
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4301, sub-§14 is enacted to read:
14. Recovery residence. "Recovery residence" has the same meaning as in Title 5,
section 20003, subsection 19-D.
Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §4309, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6. Eligibility; recovery residence; exception. The overseer in a municipality may
not deny general assistance to a person for the sole reason that the person is residing in a
recovery residence. Beginning July 1, 2022, a municipality may not provide housing
assistance to a person residing in a recovery residence that has not been certified in
accordance with Title 5, section 20005, subsection 22, except that the person may receive
housing assistance while residing in an uncertified recovery residence for one 30-day
period only and the overseer shall inform the person of the requirements of this subsection.
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A person who is ineligible for housing assistance under this subsection may remain eligible
to receive general assistance for other basic necessities.
Sec. 4. Recovery residence assistance levels; rulemaking. No later than July
1, 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services shall amend its rule, Chapter 323:
Maine General Assistance Manual, to establish appropriate maximum housing assistance
levels for eligible persons residing in recovery residences that take into account any
additional costs of providing recovery residences as well as the fair market rents established
by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development used to establish
maximum housing assistance levels under the program including those for other shared
housing arrangements.
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Z199
Initiative: Provides funding to increase the contract for certification of the recovery
residences.
GENERAL FUND 2021-22 2022-23
All Other $0 $90,000
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GENERAL FUND TOTAL $0 $90,000
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