INDIVIDUALS NEEDED TO TESTIFY!!
LD 1843 “An Act to Provide Peer Respite for Individuals with Mental Health Care Needs.”
HEARING INFORMATION
Friday, May 9th, 2025 11:00 AM
Health and Human Services Committee
(Cross Building, Room 209)
NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US!
LD 1843 “An Act to Provide Peer Respite for Individuals with Mental Health Care Needs.”
Sponsored by: Representative Amy J. Roeder, D -Bangor
Call to Action: Support LD 1843 –
This Bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide peer respite and establish a peer respite center. The center must provide 24-hour peer respite services to individuals 18 years of age or older in need of voluntary, short-term mental health services.
We need your voice! We urge advocates, providers, people with lived experience, and community members to testify in support of this bill.
Please consider showing up to the State House to testify in person! There is power in physical numbers! Mileage reimbursement offered for those who come to testify.
LD 1843 Talking Points
This bill directs DHHS Office of Behavioral Health to RFP (Request for Proposal) for one adult peer respite center in Maine. The center should align with a high usage area based on DHHS crisis usage data. It should be solely run by peers with lived mental health challenges utilizing the Intentional Peer Support Model.
- Peer respite is a voluntary, short-term, overnight program that provides community-based, non-clinical crisis support to help people find new understanding and ways to move forward. It operates 24 hours per day in a homelike environment.
- These programs do not replace traditional clinical services, rather they provide alternatives and choices for individuals.
- These programs are managed and staffed by people with lived experience and are trained peer support specialists.
- Maine had peer respite in Brunswick (funded by DHHS) from 2002-2017 upon which the provider did not renew their contract.
- Programs like these reduce usage of the emergency room and crisis stabilization unit visits while allowing peers to stay in their community.
- Peer-run respites remain a voluntary, cost-effective alternative to inpatient hospitalization, providing 24/7 community-based, non-clinical crisis support.
- The median inpatient psychiatric stay in Connecticut costs $27,681 and lasts 7 days, while a similar stay at Afiya Respite in Massachusetts costs $3,196.
- Another report suggests that the median inpatient psychiatric stay in Connecticut costs $40,611, while the cost for the same length of stay at Afiya Respite remains $3,196.
- Peer-run respites have been shown to reduce future hospitalizations, with studies indicating that the odds of using inpatient or emergency services were 70% lower following a respite stay.
https://ktpcoalition.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/07/Peer_Run_Respite_for_Connecticut.pdf
Peer-Run Respites are Unique.
- Support is offered consensually, without coercion or force, creating a more respectful and warmer environment.
- Peer-run respites offer training in Alternatives to Suicide or Wellness Recovery Action Planning.
- Guests at Peer-run respites report high satisfaction.
- In contrast, forced treatment has poorer results and drives some people away from mental health systems
Here are some sources that discuss successful peer respites operating in these states: peer respites California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
- National Empowerment Center: https://power2u.org/directory-of-peer-respites/
- The Peer Respite Project shares insights into peer-run respite models and their impact: https://rockingrecovery.org/the-peer-respite-project/
Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) launched a working draft on crisis services continuum/definitions in 2024. Peer Respite is seen as part of the evidenced based crisis continuum of care. Please reference pages 69-71 for more in-depth details about peer respite.
For more research done on peer respite please see: https://www.livelearninc.net/peer-respites
Below is some additional information to help you write testimony.
Public Testimony Template HHS (Word Document)
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