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DHHS home > Budget Reductions at a Glance

Budget Reductions at a Glance

Key Reductions By Service Areas

Mental Health

  • $3.1 million in grant-funded adult mental health services. This impacts programs that were not offered statewide and individuals who are not Medicaid-eligible to receive home-based services, counseling and money management assistance.
  • $2.1 million in grant-funded children’s mental health, impacting Children’s Cabinet, family mediation, outpatient counseling and flex funding used for ‘one-time need’

Mental Health, MaineCare

  • $1.5 million in savings because fewer children are in congregate care.*
  • $1.2 million by eliminating Intensive Community Integration, but keeping med. management and case management.*
  • $1 million in outpatient services by aligning reimbursement rates in mental health and substance abuse services.*
  • $625,000 in eliminating day treatment by only two agencies in the state.*
  • $500,000 for one case manager for children receiving mental health and child welfare services.*
  • $330,000 by consolidating adult and child mental health crisis services by April 1, 2009.*

Child Welfare

  • $2.6 million (12.5 percent) in subsidies for foster and adoptive families.
  • $1.8 million saved by reviewing mental health services used in child welfare.
  • $1.7 million saved in the foster care program by breaking out services (unbundling) and not paying for all services. (Example: No longer paying for child care if a parent is home with the child and need has not been determined; recreational programs; and respite care).
  • $1 million in savings by transferring child welfare assessments to state workers.
  • $900,000 in reducing the time for psychological evaluations of children in state care.
  • $291,000 to agencies that serve unwed mothers and mothers with young children.

Child Welfare, MaineCare

  • $1.8 million saved by breaking out services (unbundling) and not paying for all services in therapeutic foster care.*

Cognitive and Physical Disabilities Services

  • $338,000 in grant-funded services, that mostly impact information and support to parents, Pine Tree Legal, educational programs and Day Hab Services.
  • $200,000 in sheltered workshop (employment) programs.

Adults with Cognitive and Physical Disabilities, MaineCare

  • $3.5 million by reviewing community support and residential services used for persons with developmental disabilities.*
  • $332,000 by converting ICFMR facilities to group homes.*

Elder Services

  • $1.3 million by eliminating the Elder Services Healthy Housing Communities program.
  • $500,000 as a result of less administration, training and support coordination.
  • $381,000 for home-based care for elders.
  • $312,000 in assessments to determine the need for homemaker services.

MaineCare Services

  • $4.1 million in the Private Non-Medical Institution Program, including establishing a maximum number of days a bed will be ‘held’ for a person.*
  • $3.5 million savings by changing the pharmacy benefit for childless adults.*
  • $855,000 saved by reviewing the clinical criteria for the Katie Beckett program.*
  • $555,000 saved by establishing premiums in the Katie Beckett program.*
  • $825,000 in durable medical goods.*
  • $232,000 reduction in podiatric services.*
  • $48,000 in enrollment fees for parents above 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.*

Other Reductions

  • $1.1 million in funding for refugee services; Child Abuse and Neglect Councils; and supervised visitation in child welfare.
  • $1 million in the agreement with the Muskie School of Public Service.
  • $525,000 in General Assistance.
  • $325,000 in Food Stamps benefits to legally admitted aliens.
  • $68,000 in family planning.
  • Elizabeth Levinson Center will be privatized in October 2008.
  • A total of 71 jobs were cut at DHHS.

Budget Successes

  • The approved budget contains the least difficult reductions to programs and services.
  • The legislature restored $27 million in funding to the budget.
  • $10.4 million was appropriated for foster and adoptive subsidies.
  • $6.6 million was appropriated for case management services in the 08-09 budget to make up for federal cuts.

What We’re Doing Now to Minimize the Impact

  • To minimize the impact of the General Assistance cut, TANF families who are working may receive an additional benefit for food and/or special housing.
  • A new waiver has been established to provide for some of the Day Hab Services for people with developmental disabilities who otherwise would have been impacted by the budget reductions.

* Federal matching funds are also lost by virtue of this cut.

For More Information
John Martins, Director of Employee And Public Communications
# 11 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-5012
Fax (207) 287-3005
April 2008