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An Act To Start a Pilot Program for Medical Substitution Treatment in a Local Community Setting
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §20010  is enacted to read:
§ 20010. Methadone treatment
The department shall take the following steps to reduce the cost of and increase access to methadone treatment.
 
1.  Licensing.     The department shall license as a methadone treatment clinic a federally qualified health center or other health care provider or medical practice that applies for licensure and meets all state and federal requirements for methadone treatment clinics.
 
2.  Treatment location.     The department shall work with licensed methadone treatment clinics to facilitate distribution of and access to services across the State by:
 
A.  Establishing a pilot location for medication-assisted treatment of narcotic addiction using methadone, or other pharmacologic agents providing similar benefits, in a rural area at least 30 miles from any currently licensed methadone treatment clinic;
 
B.  Exploring the use of physicians' offices or other facilities focused on the delivery of health care as potential satellite methadone treatment sites;
 
C.  Exploring the use of mobile methadone treatment facilities; and
 
D.  Using funds saved by reductions in MaineCare transportation costs due to new treatment locations to improve access to methadone treatment in rural areas of the State.
 
The department shall work with other agencies and organizations to develop job, vocational and career opportunities for those receiving treatment in their local communities.
 
3.  Rules.     The department shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Rules. The Department of Health and Human Services shall amend the rules for licensed methadone treatment clinics to eliminate the requirement that the centers be open for administration of methadone treatment on Sundays. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. The department shall work with current clinics, potential licensees, federal parties and other stakeholder groups to address barriers to providing this service that exist in rules and policies at local, state and national levels.
 
SUMMARY
This bill proposes to decrease the cost of and increase access to substance abuse treatment services by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to increase the number of federally qualified health centers that provide methadone treatment services, to establish a pilot clinic location in a rural area at least 30 miles from any currently licensed methadone treatment clinic and to work to facilitate access to services and distribution of services across the State. The bill requires the department to amend the methadone clinic rules to eliminate the requirement that the centers be open for administration of methadone treatment on Sundays. The bill designates the rules as routine technical rules. The department is required to work with stakeholders to address current rules and policies that act as barriers to achieve the intent of this legislation.