State agencies shall provide information and assistance to the commission as required for the performance of its work. These agencies include but are not limited to the Department of Human Services, Bureau of Medical Services; the Department of Economic and Community Development; the Office of the State Fire Marshal; and the Maine Health and Higher Education Facilities Authority.

2. Appointments. All appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this Act. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council upon making the appointments. When the appointment of all members is complete, the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission no later than September 1, 2001.

3. Assisted living philosophy. The commission must be guided by the following philosophy of assisted living.

A. Assisted living provides congregate residences and services for the elderly and persons with disabilities in homelike settings.

B. Based on a social model, assisted living emphasizes independence, autonomy and respect for individual residents.

C. Assisted living provides assistance to residents that is appropriate for their changing needs and that maintains the connections between the residents and their families and communities.

4. Duties. The commission is charged with the following duties.

A. The commission shall study existing housing and program options for elderly and disabled persons and current and projected population and service requirement data.

B. The commission shall develop a comprehensive plan for assisted living in the State that establishes criteria for admissions and staffing and provides for expanded options on the basis of community needs. The plan must address affordability for the State's low-income and moderate-income residents. The plan must include information on the residential and service needs of the aging population, options for service development and delivery, methods of financing and models for state oversight and regulation.

The plan must be cost-effective and must maximize the use of private resources.

5. Staff assistance. Upon approval of the Legislative Council, the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis shall provide necessary staffing services to the commission.

6. Reimbursement. Legislative commission members are entitled to receive the legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, for each day's attendance at meetings of the commission and reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses, upon application to the Legislative Council. The Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall administer the commission's budget.

7. Report. The commission shall submit a report of its work to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services by December 1, 2001. The Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services may report out legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 120th Legislature.

8. Budget. Upon request of the commission, the Executive Director of the Legislative Council or the Executive Director's designee shall promptly provide the commission chairs and staff with a status report on the commission's budget, expenditures incurred and paid and available funds.

Sec. 3. Appropriation. The following funds are appropriated from the General Fund to carry out the purposes of this Act.

2001-02 2002-03

HUMAN SERVICES,

DEPARTMENT OF

Congregate Housing

All Other $900,000 $1,800,000

Provides funding for assisted living services programs in 6 locations around the State.

SUMMARY

This bill directs the Department of Human Services to develop assisted living services programs in 6 sites around the State. It provides funding for the sites, for a 1/2 year and then for a full year.

This bill also establishes the Commission to Study Assisted Living to study assisted living options for the State in order to develop high-quality, cost-effective programs to serve the residential and assisted living residential and service program needs of the growing population of elderly and disabled persons in appropriate community center locations across the State.