34-B M.R.S. § 1431

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Living conditions" includes, but is not limited to, the physical conditions of a residential facility, the individual treatment plan provided for each outpatient client and the programs for treatment available to and appropriate for each outpatient client. [PL 1983, c. 459, §7 (NEW).] B. "Residential facility" means a boarding home, nursing home, foster home, group home or halfway house licensed by the Department of Health and Human Services or used by the Department of Health and Human Services. [PL 1983, c. 459, §7 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. K, §82 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. K, §83 (AFF); PL 2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6 (REV).] [PL 1983, c. 459, §7 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. K, §82 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. K, §83 (AFF); PL 2001, c. 354, §3 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6 (REV).]

2. Requirements. The chief administrative officer of any state institution, or a person designated by the chief administrative officer, may place any person who has been hospitalized based on a diagnosis of mental illness, intellectual disability or autism, except residents described in chapter 3, subchapter 4, article 2 , on indefinite convalescence status, if the officer or the officer's designee determines that the residential facility in which the person will be residing is at least equivalent in the quality of living conditions to the state institution in which the person is hospitalized. [PL 2011, c. 542, Pt. A, §73 (AMD).]

3. Standards. The commissioner shall establish standards for assessing whether or not living conditions in residential facilities are equivalent to the existing living conditions in state institutions. [PL 1983, c. 459, §7 (NEW).]