Justin Butterfield, 35, was committed to a state psychiatric hospital after killing his brother during a mental health crisis. His family is worried about him after he was transferred to a private hospital in South Carolina that has been likened to a prison.
department of health and human services
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine, News, Schools and Education
Thousands of Maine children to receive summertime benefit for nutrition
Maine is issuing $120 per eligible child to make up for their school lunches this summer. With nearly 100,000 students automatically enrolled for the benefit, there is confusion as the first batch of EBT cards are arriving in the mail.
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Posted inHealth, Maine, News
Maine’s health department rarely investigates when residents wander away from care facilities
Elopement – when a resident wanders out of a care home – is a real risk, particularly for people with dementia. But in the vast majority of cases, the facilities are never inspected and rarely sanctioned.
Posted inMaine, Politics
In a historic legislative session, some big reforms for Maine still fell short
Some approved legislation still awaits action by the governor, and lawmakers will return for at least one more day to address vetoes.
Posted inMaine, Politics
Frustrated lawmakers back proposal to create a separate child welfare department
A proposal for a new Department of Child and Family Services wins strong support in the Maine Senate amid efforts to reform the state’s troubled child welfare system, but the Mills administration wants the idea studied first.
Posted inHealth
MaineCare continues to deal with a cybersecurity breach that is disrupting prescriptions
Pharmacies have been authorized to fill covered prescriptions for up to 30 days until the state’s Medicaid pharmacy claims system is restored.
Posted inMaine, News
Maine foster families say pressures are overwhelming
Problems in the state’s child welfare system are spilling over into the foster care network, leading to a decline in licensed homes and adding more strain to other front-line workers trying to keep Maine children safe.
Posted inMaine, Politics
Maine’s child protection staff: ‘We work within a broken system’
Lawmakers reviewing the state’s child protective agency hear testimony from front-line workers for the first time Wednesday, and their message is sobering.
Posted inMaine
Maine’s child protection system failed to recognize risks to children, report says
The Maine Child Welfare Services Ombudsman’s annual report cites ‘substantial issues’ with more than half of the child welfare cases reviewed and a ‘downward trend in child welfare practice.’
Posted inMaine, Maine Crime, News
Trial to begin in beating death of Stockton Springs 3-year-old
Jessica Williams was charged with murder in the summer of 2021 in the death of her 3-year-old son Maddox, whom a judge returned to her home after he’d been removed because his sibling suffered a drug overdose.