1. Development of resources, cooperation and funding. To encourage and assist development of more effective and more coordinated use of existing and new resources and interagency cooperation as well as combined, joint funding of social services; expenditures for priority social services shall be shared either by the beneficiary of each service to extent possible within the resources available to the beneficiary in accordance with subsection 2; or by the agency providing the social service; by available federal resources as discussed in subsection 3; or by the State of Maine in total amount not to exceed that specified in each agreement and in a proportion not to exceed the percent of expenditures for each type of service specified in subsection 4. [P&SL 1975, c. 90, §C, 4(RPR).]
2.Fees for services. Private, nonprofit and public agencies operating social services as authorized and funded in part under the Priority Social Services Program may charge fees or accept contributions to the agency for beneficiaries for actual provision of priority social services. Fee charges will be in accordance with a graduated fee scale. This scale shall not require charges to lower income beneficiaries. The Department of Health and Human Services may establish and enforce adherence to a graduated fee scale that applies uniformly throughout the State of each type of service and based upon a resident's ability to pay. Social agencies making charges for priority social services shall do so in accordance with the graduated fee scale established by the department.
[1975, c. 293, §4(AMD); 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6(REV).]
3.Use of federal government resources. State funds appropriated for priority social services may be used to match appropriate federal funds, except those appropriated under the Social Services Block Grant, to continue or expand priority programs under this chapter. [1981, c. 608, §2(RPR).]
4.Maximum state share of cost. State funds appropriated for priority social services may be used to pay a portion of expenditures under each agreement for each type of social service in an amount not to exceed the maximum percentage for state funds of 100% of the total expenditures for each type of priority social service as specified below. One hundred percent funding must be available for not more than 2 years consecutively or in total. State funds appropriated for priority social services may be used to pay a portion of expenditures under each agreement for each type of social service in an amount not to exceed the maximum percentage for state funds of the total expenditures for each type of priority social service as specified below when programs have been funded for a total of 2 years, consecutively or in total. The maximum percentage of state funds of the total expenditures for each type of service may not exceed: 75% for homemaker service;
75% for developmental day care, including family day care;
75% for services for persons with intellectual disabilities or autism;
75% for meals for older people;
75% for mental health services;
75% for transportation services;
75% for health and home care needs for the elderly.
[2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §44(AMD).]
5.Maximum use of nonstate resources. State funds paying a portion only of expenditures for priority social services are valid only when "earned" or "matched" by expenditure of nonstate resources, which may be cash or in-kind. The expenditure of such resource must be in an amount at least equal to the minimum percentage for nonstate resources of the total expenditures for each type of priority social services as specified below. The minimum percentage for nonstate resources of the total expenditures for each type of service is: 25% for homemaker service;
25% for developmental day care, including family day care;
25% for services for persons with intellectual disabilities or autism;
25% for meals for older people;
25% for mental health services;
25% for transportation services;
25% for health and home care needs for the elderly.
Nonstate resources authorized to qualify to earn or match state funds include private funds such as gifts, grants, fees for service or contributions; in-kind resources that are actual out-of-pocket expenditures; or actual loss of revenue related directly and essentially as an integral part of the operation of a priority social service; and public revenues such as municipal taxes, a municipal or county amount of federal revenue sharing funds, other appropriate federal resources and state revenue sharing funds and such other public resources as may be received by, generated by or available to a municipal or county government or other political subdivision or quasi-governmental bodies.
[2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §45(AMD).]
Amended by 2012, c. 542,§§ A-44, A-45, eff. 3/20/2012.P&SL 1973, c. 38, §B1 (NEW) . P&SL 1975, c. 90, §§SEC.C,4 (RPR) . 1975, c. 293, § 4 (AMD) . 1975, c. 523, § 2 (AMD) . 1977, c. 317, §§3,4 (AMD) . 1981, c. 608, §§2,3 (AMD) . 2003, c. 689, §B6 (REV) .