Senate passes Breen bill to review, improve mental health services in Maine

Sen. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Senate on Wednesday passed legislation from Sen. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth, that would form a working group to study and recommend improvements for mental health services in Maine.

Last month, LD 1602, “Resolve, Establishing the Working Group on Mental Health,” was the subject of a public hearing before a joint meeting of four Legislative policy committees: Judiciary; Health and Human Services; Education and Cultural Affairs; and Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

“As the parent of someone with a mental illness, I have seen firsthand how inefficient and ineffective our existing system of mental health services can be. It’s time we make sure we’re investing our energy and money where it will best help Mainers in need,” said Sen. Breen, who serves as chair of the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee. “I’m glad my colleagues in the Senate have given such strong support to this measure.”

LD 1602 would establish the Working Group on Mental Health to assess Maine’s capacity to serve people with mental health concerns. The working group would meet over the summer and fall, and report back to the Legislature in 2020 to propose a comprehensive mental health plan of action for the state.

Sen. Breen’s goal with this bill is to find out how best to shift state funding and resources to community-based services, where Mainers dealing with mental health concerns can receive early intervention assistance, instead of pushing the bulk of funding toward services that help Mainers only after they have entered a crisis situation.

LD 1602 now heads to Gov. Janet Mills, who has 10 days to either sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without her signature.