| | | Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts of the Legislature do not become | | effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as | | emergencies; and |
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| | | Whereas, substance abuse is a serious problem that affects the | | majority of adults who become part of the population of the | | Department of Corrections; and |
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| | | Whereas, comprehensive substance abuse treatment may help reduce | | the rate of recidivism for many prisoners; and |
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| | | Whereas, creating and implementing a comprehensive substance | | abuse treatment plan as soon as possible is in the best interest | | of those in the custody of the Department of Corrections, as well | | as the public; and |
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| | | Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create | | an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and | | require the following legislation as immediately necessary for | | the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, | | therefore, |
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| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | | Sec. 1. Comprehensive substance abuse treatment program for adult offenders in the | | Department of Corrections. The Department of Corrections and the | | Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance | | Abuse Services, Office of Substance Abuse shall take action to | | create, implement and operate a comprehensive residential | | substance abuse treatment program for adults committed to the | | custody of the Department of Corrections. The program must | | include uniform clinical assessment of prisoners to identify | | substance abuse problems, to ensure access to the program that | | facilitates participation of the prisoner and the prisoner's | | family and to provide a system to monitor treatment progress and | | a follow-through mechanism to ensure treatment completion. In | | formulating its treatment program, the department may consider | | other states' model programs, including the State of New York | | Department of Correctional Services "Stay'n Out" therapeutic | | community program. |
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| | | Sec. 2. Report. The Department of Corrections and the Department | | of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse | | Services, Office of Substance Abuse shall present a proposal to | | implement and fund the comprehensive substance abuse treatment | | program to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice by | | May 1, 1999. The proposal must also include a plan for annual | | reporting to the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice on | | the progress in implementing and providing substance abuse | | treatment programs. |
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