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An Act To Ensure the Quality of and Increase Access to Recovery Residences
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §20005, sub-§20, as amended by PL 2005, c. 674, §1, is further amended to read:
 
20. Review policies.   Review the full range of public policies and strategies existing in State Government to identify changes that would strengthen its response, identify policies that might discourage excessive consumption of alcohol and other drugs and generate new funding for alcohol and other drug services; and
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §20005, sub-§21, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 674, §2, is amended to read:
 
21. List of banned performance-enhancing substances.   Develop and maintain a list of banned performance-enhancing substances in accordance with Title 20-A, section 6621.; and
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §20005, sub-§22  is enacted to read:
 
22.  Recovery residence standards.     Establish by rule standards for recovery residences based on standards established by a national alliance for recovery residences. For the purposes of this subsection, "recovery residence" means a group residence providing an alcohol-free and drug-free environment for persons recovering from substance use disorders. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 4. 34-B MRSA §3011, as corrected by RR 2017, c. 1, §31, is amended to read:
§ 3011.Bridging Rental Assistance Program
The Bridging Rental Assistance Program is established within the department as a transitional housing voucher program. The purpose of the program is to assist persons with mental illness with housing assistance for up to 24 months or until they receive assistance from a housing voucher program administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development under the United States Housing Act of 1937, Public Law 75-412, 50 Stat. 888, Section 8 or receive an alternative housing placement. The program may also assist persons with substance use disorders involving opioids with housing placement in recovery residences the department has determined meet the standards established pursuant to Title 5, section 20005, subsection 22. For the purposes of this section, "recovery residence" means a group residence providing an alcohol-free and drug-free environment for persons recovering from substance use disorders. The department shall adopt rules to carry out the purpose of the program.  Rules relating to recovery residences must allow for the sharing of rooms by residents. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 5. Rulemaking; recovery residence standards. The Department of Health and Human Services shall base the recovery residence standards established pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 20005, subsection 22 on the national standards established by the National Alliance for Recovery Residences.
 
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish standards for recovery residences based on standards established by the National Alliance for Recovery Residences. It also authorizes the Bridging Rental Assistance Program to assist persons with substance use disorders involving opioids with housing placement in recovery residences, including residences in which residents share rooms.