An Act To Establish Wage and Employment Parity between Adult and Child Protective Services Caseworkers in the Department of Health and Human Services

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3473, sub-§4  is enacted to read:

Sec. 2. Staffing levels. The number of supervisory positions relating to adult protective services within the Department of Health and Human Services' office of aging and disability services must equal the number of supervisory positions within the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services relating to child protective services.

Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Office of Aging and Disability Services Adult Protective Services Z040

Initiative: Provides increased funding for the creation of 2 Adult Protective Services Caseworker Supervisor positions within the Office of Aging and Disability Services Adult Protective Services program to achieve the same supervisor to caseworker ratio as the child protective services within the Office of Child and Family Services.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	2.000	2.000
Personal Services	$167,930	$173,805
All Other	$12,572	$12,572
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$180,502	$186,377

Office of Aging and Disability Services Adult Protective Services Z040

Initiative: Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 7065, provides funding for the recruitment and retention of employees in Adult Protective Services Caseworker positions and Adult Protective Services Caseworker Supervisor positions with a $5 per wage-hour stipend payment.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21
Personal Services	$696,800	$696,800
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$696,800	$696,800

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2019-20	2020-21
GENERAL FUND	$877,302	$883,177
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$877,302	$883,177

summary

This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide at least one week of training to new employees engaged in adult protective services. It requires the number of supervisory positions in adult protective services and child protective services to be identical. It provides funding for the recruitment and retention of employees in Adult Protective Services Caseworker positions and Adult Protective Services Caseworker Supervisor positions with a $5 per wage-hour stipend payment.