en. Marianne Moore, R-Calais, is serving her second term in the Maine Senate and is a member of the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee. Rep. Lori K. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, is a long-time social worker serving her second term in the Maine House. She co-chairs the Behavioral Health Caucus. During her State of the State address last week, Gov. Janet Mills outlined her priorities for this legislative session. While we have more to learn about her proposed supplemental ... Read More ›
Maine has a budget surplus, but many unmet needs remain
One of the most talked about aspects of Gov. Janet Mills’ State of the State last week was the proposal to return half of the state’s expected budget surplus to Maine taxpayers in the form of $500 checks for most. Some Republicans criticized the governor for usurping the idea. Former Gov. Paul LePage, who is now running against Mills, called the governor’s plan a gimmick. This is odd criticism since Mills gave Republican legislative leaders full credit for the idea, which may be a hard sell ... Read More ›
Maine Attorney General reaches agreement to distribute opioid settlement funds
Maine's Attorney General says the state has reached an agreement with municipalities, counties, and school districts on how to disburse funds from a national settlement with opioid distributors and manufacturers. It could funnel up to $130 million into the state over the next 18 years to help respond to the opioid crisis. The agreement allocates the settlement funds into three buckets. Twenty percent will go to the state, through the Attorney General's office. Thirty percent will go to 39 ... Read More ›
Critical mental health teams in Maine under financial strain
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams provide community-based mental health treatment and services. Author: Vivien Leigh (NEWS CENTER Maine) Published: 5:26 PM EST January 20, 2022 Updated: 8:06 PM EST January 27, 2022 BANGOR, Maine — For decades, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams have provided a critical safety net for Mainers struggling with severe mental health issues. The vital treatment services allow patients to stay in their communities and out of mental health ... Read More ›
New bills look to address Maine’s mental health pandemic
Author: Sam Rogers (NEWS CENTER Maine) Published: 7:36 PM EST January 18, 2022 Updated: 2:51 PM EST January 19, 2022 AUGUSTA, Maine — As the COVID-19 pandemic seems to go on without an end date, lawmakers in Augusta are working to meet the needs of Mainers as we near the two-year anniversary of the first positive case recorded in the state. The Legislature's Committee on Health and Human Services has been tasked with reviewing, workshopping, and passing legislation to best ... Read More ›
Coping during the pandemic on a personal and state-wide level
Lawmakers in Augusta presented findings from their Mental Health Summit on Thursday to help address the state's mental health crisis. Author: Sam Rogers (NEWS CENTER Maine) Published: 6:18 PM EST January 27, 2022 Updated: 12:53 PM EST January 28, 2022 MAINE, USA — Members of the Legislature held a ‘Mental Health Summit’ in November 2021 to learn more about the current state of behavioral services, workforce shortages, and the toll the pandemic has on individuals around the ... Read More ›
Senators Collins, Smith Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Care for Americans with Serious Mental Illnesses
The legislation would remove an arbitrary cap on inpatient psychiatric care that disproportionately harms non-elderly Medicare beneficiaries In: Press Releases Posted Wed, 10/27/2021 - 08:44 Share: Washington, D.C. – In a bipartisan effort to improve mental health care across the nation, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tina Smith (D-MN), members of the Senate Health Committee, introduced the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, legislation that would ... Read More ›
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Opioids: A continuing epidemic, within a pandemic
As COVID-19 captures the public’s attention, Maine’s battle with opioid addiction rages on. BY ROSE LUNDY | SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 Scott Knowles became a recovery coach after his own experience with substance use, which began when he was 11. He has been sober for three years and is working on a degree from Eastern Maine Community College. Photo by Garrick Hoffman. Maine lost 18,000 years of life last year to opioid overdoses. That’s what Oliver Bradeen, executive ... Read More ›
Maine allows more time for required vaccinations as new COVID-19 cases nearly double
Enforcement will begin Oct. 29 rather than Oct. 1, to give health care workers more time to get fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the state reports the most new cases in a day since Jan. 22. Maine is giving health care workers nearly an extra month to get vaccinated against COVID-19, extending the deadline even as the state continues to see a surge in new cases that rivals the pandemic’s midwinter peak. The state will begin enforcing its vaccine mandate on Oct. 29 rather than Oct. 1 to give ... Read More ›