Legislation
Task Force to Study the Cost-effectiveness of the
Child Development Services System
1. Establishment and duties. The Task Force to Study the Cost-effectiveness of the Child Development Services System, referred to in this section as the "task force," is established. The task force has the following duties.
A. The task force shall study and make recommendations regarding the most efficient and cost-effective manner in which the Child Development Services System could achieve greater administrative efficiency and economy.
B. The task force shall review and make recommendations regarding the cost-effectiveness of hiring professional staff to be employed at the regional child development services sites as compared to contracting for services with nonprofit and for-profit service providers.
2. Membership. The task force consists of 16 members appointed as follows:
A. Four Legislators, 2 of whom must be members of the Senate and 2 of whom must be members of the House of Representatives, appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House;
B. The Commissioner of Education, or a designee;
C. The Commissioner of Human Services, or a designee;
D. The Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, or a designee;
E. Two members representing nonprofit and for-profit service providers, one of whom must be a clinical professional and one of whom must be a developmental therapist, appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House;
F. Two members representing parents whose children receive services through the system, appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House;
G. One member representing Child Development Services System site directors, designated by the Child Development Services System site directors;
H. One member representing Child Development Services System site board members, designated by the Child Development Services System site board members;
I. One member representing public school special education directors, designated by the Maine Association of Directors of Services for Children with Exceptionalities;
J. One member representing community health nurses with experience in providing community health services to children with developmental needs, designated by the Maine State Nurses Association; and
K. One member representing the organizational development profession, appointed jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House.
All appointments must be made no later than 15 days following the effective date of this Act. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council upon making their appointments. When the appointment of all members is complete, the Chair of the Legislative Council shall call and convene the first meeting of the task force no later than September 15, 1997. The task force shall select a chair from among its legislative members.
3. Staff assistance. The task force may request staffing and clerical assistance from the Legislative Council.
4. Reimbursement. The task force members who are Legislators are entitled to receive the legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses for each day's attendance at meetings of the task force. The Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall administer the task force's budget.
5. Report. The task force shall submit its report with any accompanying legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 118th Legislature by January 1, 1998.
6. Meetings. The task force may meet up to 3 times.