Blog
9/20/2023
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently concluded a series of listening sessions about the municipal General Assistance (GA) Program. Developed as a safety net program of last resort over 40 years ago, it is administered by municipalities and Tribes and overseen by DHHS, which reimburses 70 percent of eligible costs.
9/12/2023
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced today that it has distributed over $166 million in food assistance to the families of more than 150,000 Maine children through the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program.
9/8/2023
As students of all ages return to school this fall, the Higher Opportunities for Pathways to Employment (HOPE) program offered through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office for Family Independence (OFI) continues to support Maine parents as they pursue higher education on the path to meaningful
8/25/2023
Today, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is releasing an update including July 2023 data on the resumption of MaineCare (Medicaid) eligibility reviews after the COVID-19 public health emergency, known as “unwinding.” To view Maine’s unwinding data report, please visit the MaineCare Ren
7/28/2023
Today, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is releasing the first data related to the end of the MaineCare (Medicaid) continuous coverage requirement, known for short as “unwinding.” In March 2020, as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government temporarily waived eligibility reviews for people enrolled in state Medicaid programs.
7/21/2023
As the Legislature nears the end of the 2023 Legislative Session, Maine youth and children have much to celebrate. Governor Mills has signed into law dozens of bills and nearly $400 million to strengthen Maine’s education, health care, and other systems.
7/14/2023
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) Women Infants and Children (WIC) and Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) announced today the start of the 2023 FMNP season, during which WIC participants automatically receive additional benefits to purchase fresh, local produce.
7/12/2023
The final piece of the FY24-25 biennial budget, passed by the Legislature on July 6, 2023 and signed into law yesterday by Governor Mills, includes more than $4 million in investments to reduce abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities in Maine.
7/7/2023
Yesterday, the Legislature passed the final piece of the FY24-25 biennial budget that Governor Janet Mills indicated she will sign. It includes a number of initiatives that advance the health and well being of Maine people.
6/27/2023
While the Legislature considers budget proposals for future MaineCare reforms, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of MaineCare Services continues its implementation of payment rates already developed under the landmark law (P.L. 2022, Ch. 639 (PDF)).
6/22/2023
Today, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced it is extending the current Child Care Provider Transition Grants to help child care providers continue to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and improve access to quality child care in Maine.
6/15/2023
New data indicate that a Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) initiative to fund recruitment and retention bonuses for direct support workers (DSWs) helped stabilize and grow Maine’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) workforce.
6/1/2023
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) has made six additional awards in its second round of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Innovation Pilot Grants to support projects that promote greater independence and community participation among individuals with disabilities.
5/31/2023
In 2021, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) announced a series of new initiatives to advance health equity in communities at higher risk of COVID-19 and address systemic health in
5/22/2023
May is designated nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, it also marked the end of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which affected not only physical health, but also mental and emotional wellbeing.
5/16/2023
The U.S.-declared COVID-19 public health emergency is over, but some of its effects persist, including a heightened need for children’s behavioral health services.
5/10/2023
Among other provisions, the Governor’s budget change package proposes to eliminate a disputed tax that funds Medicaid (i.e., MaineCare) services, to limit the State’s liability going forward and clear the path for payment rate reform.
4/7/2023
At the direction of Governor Janet Mills, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has developed and executed a variety of programs to address the shortage of qualified health care workers in Maine.
3/30/2023
Since the start of the Mills Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has prioritized both expanding eligibility for MaineCare and improving how the program pays for services for its members.
3/8/2023
This month, an extra amount of Federal food support that was provided during the COVID-19 pandemic will end in Maine and other states. The extra amounts, known as Emergency Maximum Allotments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), were funded by Congress and the President in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.