AUGUSTA - A measure introduced by Rep. Jay McCreight, D-Harpswell, to reduce extended hospital emergency department stays and to provide appropriate mental and behavioral health services to minors was signed into law Tuesday. The new law is part of a broader effort to increase youth access to mental and behavioral health care and move away from dependence on emergency departments.
LD 118 directs Maine's Department of Health and Human Services to collect data on the problem of extended emergency department stays, identify gaps in appropriate care and develop the resources needed to reduce the length and frequency of these stays. It also creates a working group to process the data and put forward a clear, targeted policy and budget recommendation for lawmakers and the governor.
"This helps us better understand and address this significant problem in our system of mental and behavioral health care. We need to know how many minors are 'stuck' in hospital emergency departments and what types of resources are lacking in each case," said McCreight. "It helps identify which parts of Maine have the greatest need, which demographics are most affected and what the biggest barriers are to delivering services. Those barriers could be distance in rural areas, communication between providers or the lack of a good treatment plan."
McCreight submitted the bill to address a troubling trend of too many minors being subjected to extended stays in hospital emergency departments, even after patients no longer require emergency care.
"Even when medically cleared for discharge, children remain for days and even weeks in emergency departments waiting to get necessary behavioral health services to address whatever had brought about the original crisis," said McCreight. "The shortage of alternative services is harmful, counterproductive and extremely expensive, and I appreciate the chance to help young people struggling with their mental and behavioral health."
The bill will go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns.
McCreight, House chair of the Legislatures Marine Resources Committee and a member of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, is serving her fourth term in the Maine House and represents Harpswell, West Bath and northeastern Brunswick.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [McCreight], c. 812-1111