October 12, 2023
Today, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that Ian Yaffe will become the new Director of the Office for Family Independence (OFI) and current OFI Director Tony Pelotte will become a Senior Advisor for Eligibility System Reform in the Commissioner’s Office effective October 30, 2023. These changes will expand capacity and increase the Department’s ability to respond to Maine’s changing demographics, economy, and policies.
During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Maine’s population increased, long-standing health equity concerns were amplified, the state’s economy grew yet grappled with high inflation and low unemployment, and its agencies and businesses worked to manage the surge and end of temporary federal pandemic-related policies and funding. OFI programs have been central to adapting to these changes. Its programs provided supports for services during the pandemic as well as for the influx of asylum seekers and people experiencing homelessness due to rising housing costs. Costs of the General Assistance (GA) program, overseen by OFI and administered by municipalities, skyrocketed as it filled gaps in the system, with reforms now on the horizon. “Unwinding” pandemic policies such as Medicaid or MaineCare’s continuous coverage has led to significant short- and long-term work to both maintain coverage and design the future interaction between Maine’s benefit systems. As this work continues, the Department remains committed to building equity into its policy and program design and implementation to better serve the needs of all Maine residents.
To help lead during this critical period of time, Ian Yaffe will assume the position of Director of OFI. Ian brings to this job vision, a deep commitment to equity, a wide range of experiences, strong relationships across the state, and a track record of results.
Ian is currently the Department’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In this position, he has helped refine and advance the Department’s Strategic Plan (PDF), with the goal of making it a living document. He previously served as the Director of the Office of Population Health Equity at the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) from October 2021 to January 2023. As director, he built a diverse and talented team, created a Health Equity Advisory Council, and led the planning and implementation of a $32 million grant to reduce health disparities. From March to September 2021, Ian was Chief Operating Officer of DHHS’ COVID-19 Social Supports which, in partnership with community-based organizations, provided nearly 35,000 people with the information and resources they needed to stay safe during the pandemic.
Prior to joining the Department, Ian was, for 11 years, Executive Director of Mano en Mano, a nonprofit based in Washington County that provides educational, health, housing, and advocacy supports to immigrant and farmworker communities. He currently serves in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve as a Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate. Ian received his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College and his master’s degree from the University of Washington.
Tony Pelotte has served as the Director of OFI since January 2019. As Director, Tony has been instrumental in expanding Medicaid or MaineCare, implementing the HOPE program, administering COVID-19 related supports for Maine residents, and shifting operations to telework during the pandemic. He has been a strong advocate for the people who work at OFI and the people they serve.
Prior to becoming Director, Tony was Acting Director from August 2018 to January 2019 and Deputy Director from December 2016 to August 2018. Prior to these leadership positions, Tony worked in state positions focused on eligibility, operations, and technology, having dedicated his career to public service since graduating from the University of Maine at Farmington.
Tony will become a Senior Advisor for Eligibility System Reform in the Commissioner’s Office where he will work full time to oversee implementation of MaineCare unwinding along with eligibility systems changes to better align operations and technology for the future. Tony’s focus on this work will both prevent people from unnecessarily losing health coverage and make it easier for Maine residents to get and keep the benefits for which they are eligible. This work will chart a path for Maine to align its behind the scenes work with its goals of promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity.