Lawmakers to vote on money for treatment, military authority

AUGUSTA (AP) — A Maine legislative committee has advanced a budget request that would expand access to drug treatment.

The committee on Friday sent the $29 million supplementary spending package to the full Legislature for a vote. Lawmakers will continue to hold hearings on Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s separate $6.8 billion, two-year budget proposal.

Lawmakers and the Department of Health and Human Services successfully pushed to use $4.8 million in state and federal funds to expand medication-assisted treatment to 400 low-income and uninsured individuals.

“Drug addiction strikes without prejudice and is affecting every community in our state,” said Democratic Sen. Cathy Breen, who offered the amendment that includes the funding. Last year, an average of more than one Maine resident per day died from a drug overdose.

DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew said the package would fund an “Opioid Home Health” model placing patients with a primary care provider who directs the individual’s care as they access counseling, medication-assisted treatment, medical care and peer support services.

“This is just one important step of many that state government has taken, and must take, to fight the opioid crisis on all fronts: treatment, prevention and law enforcement,” said Mayhew.

Mayhew’s department would send quarterly reports to the Legislature disclosing the amount spent and number of individuals served. Her department recently announced an additional $2.4 million for treatment for uninsured individuals.

LePage’s supplementary proposal also provides $7 million to the University of Maine system to maintain the in-state tuition freeze and expand an early college program.

A $7 million rescue package would help the Maine Military Authority, a quasi-governmental business that wants to rehire workers it laid off after underbidding a contract. Another $4.8 million would rehabilitate fish hatcheries in the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

LePage’s proposed supplementary budget would also transfer $35 million in surplus funds to Maine’s rainy day fund.