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An Act To Increase Safety for Maine Citizens by Amending the Definition of "Likelihood of Serious Harm" in the Laws Governing Mental Health and Hospitalization To Include Consideration of a Person's Potential for Future Serious Harm
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 34-B MRSA §3801, sub-§4-A, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 651, §4, is amended to read:
 
D. For the purposes of section 3873-A, inIn view of the person's treatment history, current behavior and inability to make an informed decision, a reasonable likelihood that the person's mental health will deteriorate and that the person will in the foreseeable future pose a likelihood of serious harm as defined in paragraphsparagraph A, B or C.
 
SUMMARY
Under current law, for the purpose of admission to a progressive treatment program a determination that a person poses a likelihood of serious harm takes into consideration the likelihood that a person's mental health will deteriorate and that the person will in the foreseeable future pose a likelihood of serious harm. This bill expands the definition of "likelihood of serious harm" to apply those same considerations for purposes other than admission to a progressive treatment program.