34-B M.R.S. §1402: Community services

1. Commissioner's duty. In every state institution to which a person with mental illness or an intellectual disability may be committed, the commissioner shall organize and administer the duties set forth in subsection 2.

2. Duties. The department shall:

A. Supervise clients who have left the institution with a view to their safe care at home, suitable employment and self-support under good working and living conditions, and with a view to prevention of their relapse and return to public dependency;

B. Provide for informing and advising any indigent person, that person's relatives or friends and the representatives of any charitable agency as to:

(1) The mental condition of the indigent person;

(2) The prevention and treatment of the condition;

(3) The available institutions or other means of caring for the person; and

(4) Any other matter relative to the welfare of the person; and

C. Acquire and disseminate knowledge of mental disease, intellectual disabilities, autism and other related conditions with a view to promoting a better understanding and the most enlightened public sentiment and policy in these matters, and in this work the department may cooperate with local authorities, schools and social agencies.