Maine has been quietly sending people found not criminally responsible for their crimes to a controversial, for-profit facility in South Carolina where they say they are not getting mental health treatment.
maine department of health and human services
Posted inHealth, Local & State, News
Maine urged to raise wages for home health aides, long-term care workers
The Maine Center for Economic Policy recommends that health support workers be paid at least 140% of minimum wage, or $19.80 per hour.
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Posted inHealth, Local & State, News
Mills appoints longtime deputy as acting commissioner of DHHS
Sara Gagné-Holmes, who has been number 2 at the Department of Health and Human Services for 5 years, has been named acting commissioner to replace Jeanne Lambrew.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine health and human services commissioner is stepping down
Jeanne Lambrew, who led the department through the COVID-19 pandemic, will begin a job at a Washington-based think tank and teach at Harvard University.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Settlement requires DHHS to reform use of psychotropic drugs given to foster children
The parties agreed to 3 critical reforms: an improved medical records system, creation of an informed consent process, and a psychiatric clinical review after the drugs are administered to children.
Posted inLocal & State, Maine Crime
Father alleges former Maine DHHS caseworker sexually assaulted him
The federal lawsuit names Morgan Polky, who admitted to sexual misconduct with the father when the state revoked her social worker license in 2018.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Maine fails to meet federal standards when returning at-risk children to their families, watchdog report says
OPEGA’s report highlights another symptom of a child welfare system that suffers from high vacancies, heavy caseloads and a lack of community services for families struggling with mental health and substance use issues.
Posted inLocal & State
Department veteran chosen to lead reforms of Maine’s child protection agency
Bobbi Johnson, a 30-year veteran in the state’s child welfare office, will take over leadership of the agency after the former director resigned amid a legislative review of child deaths.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine issues $13.5 million in replacement SNAP benefits following December storm
The funds will be automatically issued this weekend to SNAP recipients affected by the storm.
Posted inLocal & State, Politics
Maine DHHS commissioner questioned about child deaths, caseworker complaints
Jeanne Lambrew acknowledges problems within the child protection office during testimony before the Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee.