Angus S. King, Jr.
Governor, State of Maine

Mary J. Herman
First Lady

Cabinet  Members:

J. Duke Albanese, Chair and Commissioner, Dept. of Education

Kevin W. Concannon, Commissioner, Dept. of Human Services

Lynn Duby, Commissioner, Behavioral and Developmental Services

Michael Kelly, Commissioner, Dept. of Public Safety

Martin Magnusson, Commissioner, Dept. of Corrections

Senior  Staff:

Becky Hayes-Boober, Holly Stover, Andrea Paul, Chairs, Regional Children’s Cabinets

Lisa Burgess, Sabra Burdick - Behavioral and Developmental Services

Freda Bernotavicz, Director, Institute for Public Sector Innovation ­ Muskie School

Maryalice Crofton ­ Maine Commission for Community Service

Mary Fran Gamage -Labor

Denise Lord, Barry Stoodley, Corrections

John Rogers, Public Safety

Susan Savell, Executive Coordinator, Communities for Children

Valerie Seaberg, Education

Peter Walsh, Human Services

Staff:

Lauren Walsh

Michael Newsom, Muskie Graduate Student

Welcome to the Second Annual Report of the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet!

        We are pleased to present this Annual Report to the Governor, the Legislature, the   Judiciary, and the
  public.  The report summarizes the initial formation of the Cabinet  through the initiation and development
  of our collaborative infrastructure and initiatives to date.

• You will find highlights of the Cabinet’s accomplishments and successes this past year as well as recommendations for future growth and priorities to strengthen Maine families.
• You will find our history, vision, mission, goals, and website address [www.state.me.us/cabinet/homepage.htm].
• The Cabinet’s unique practical approach to its work and its organizational structure designed to support and further these efforts are on pages nine and ten.
• Concise “thumbnail sketches” of our primary initiatives, with guidance as to where to find additional information.

      As we survey our vision, mission, goals, guiding principles, infrastructure, and initiatives, we are able to
 point with pride to our greatest successes, and with renewed determination to address our ongoing
 challenge.

 Our greatest successes continue to be:

• Overall increased cooperation and coordination across departments;
• Increased coordination and collaboration with regional and local partners;
• Work that is research-driven and focused on outcomes; and
• Resources directed toward prevention, rather than solely on intervention.

 Our continuing challenges, with which we will continue to grapple, are:

• A lingering culture within agencies which hampers a collaborative, cooperative spirit ­ continuing
  to see the collaborative work of the Cabinet as a temporary “program”, rather than a new and
  permanent way of doing business;
• Categorical funding streams that tend to impede a holistic approach to addressing the problems
  of children and families while suppressing collaborative creativity; and
• Maintaining the work of the Children’s Cabinet with adequate staff and support services.

      Despite the challenges, our report also proudly includes a section on what’s going right in Maine for its
children and families. Clearly, the evidence supports the claim that Maine is a great place to live, to raise
children, and to prosper!

  J. Duke Albanese, Commissioner 
  Department of Education; and 
  Chair, Children’s Cabinet