Sec. 10. Report on merger goals and achievement of benchmarks. The Commissioner of Health and Human Services shall report according to the schedule established in this section to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters on progress towards goals and benchmarks adopted by the committee for the merger of the former Department of Human Services and the former Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services. In January 2006, the commissioner shall present proposed outcomes and specific benchmarks to be used to evaluate the success of the merger in achieving those goals for review by the committee. The commissioner shall provide subsequent regular updated reports to the committee at least once every 6 months in 2006 and 2007 on the progress of the department in achieving the identified goals, outcomes and benchmarks. Each report must also include a review of the pay range reallocations undertaken to achieve pay equity, progress in achieving the colocation goals of the department and the number of vacant positions and acting or temporary appointments within the department.

Sec. 11. Review of advocacy and ombudsman issues. The child welfare ombudsman program established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 4087-A, the long-term care ombudsman program established pursuant to Title 22, section 5106, subsection 11-C and the Office of Advocacy within the Department of Health and Human Services shall work collaboratively to develop recommendations to maximize their independence, effectiveness and ability to provide consumer advocacy and ombudsman services and long-term budget stability. Those entities shall report their recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services no later than February 15, 2006. The committee may report out a bill regarding the ombudsman and advocacy programs to the Second Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature.