The MMA has been concerned about the potential that physicians and other health care practitioners will be affected by bills seeking to amend the long-standing child abuse and neglect reporting laws.  In the most recent newsworthy cases, no one has asserted a failure to meet reporting obligations by a health care practitioner.  

 Earlier today, the MMA received news that the legislature would return to Augusta to consider the Governor's bills tomorrow, but then we were advised that the legislature likely will return next Thursday, August 30th.  The MMA has alerted the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Maine Academy of Family Physicians to be prepared to participate in this debate.  

The Child Protective Services system was on the agenda of the Government Oversight Committee which had previously received a report from the state Office of Program Evaluation & Governmental Accountability (OPEGA). 

To find the OPEGA report, look under "OPEGA Reports" on the left hand side of the web site.

 The MMA understands that one bill with funding implications is in the possession of the Appropriations Committee and that several other bills still are in the Revisor's Office and are likely to be referred to the HHS Committee because they deal with Title 22, the health and human services statutes.  One of these bills will make a failure to report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect a Class E crime while another apparently will attempt to further define or clarify a "reasonable cause to suspect child abuse and neglect."  The MMA anticipates that these bills will be made public some time this week, but interested parties will have very little time to analyze them before developing a position and public comment as hearings by the HHS Committee could be scheduled prior to the Thursday session next week.

The MMA will be engaged in the legislature's debate of these bills along with the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Maine Academy of Family Physicians, and other interested physicians.  If you would like to be involved in this advocacy, please contact Gordon Smith, EVP, at gsmith@mainemed.com or by cell phone at 207-215-7461, or Andrew MacLean, Deputy EVP & General Counsel, at amaclean@mainemed.com or by cell phone at 207-215-7462.