LHO Resources

Contact your District Liaison or the Local Health Officer Coordinator if you are an LHO and are not receiving registration invites

Resources by Topic

Mold

LHO Guide

• LHO GUIDE: Mold (PDF)

Mold General

• Maine Indoor Air Quality Council (MIAQC): Indoor Air Quality in Rental Properties (webpage)
• Maine Indoor Air Quality Council Mold Toolkit 11-2022 (PDF)
• EPA Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home (PDF)

Mold Inspections

• NIOSH Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool (pdf, full document) (PDF)
• NIOSH Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool (pdf, printable checklist only) (PDF)
• Mold Testing (NC State Extension Publications)(pdf) (PDF)
• Testing for Mold (MN Dept of Health)(pdf) (PDF)

Mold Public Health Education Materials

• Mold & Moisture Damage Checklist: Apartment Tenants and Landlords (MIAQC) (poster)
• The Key to Mold Control is Moisture Control (EPA) (infographic)
• Checklist for cleaning up smaller mold problems (MIAQC printable resource for renters, landlords and homeowners) (PDF)

Mold Other

• Maine statute: Implied Warranty and Covenant of Habitability (Title 14 Sec 6021)
• What is the LHO's role in Mold complaints? See LHO Manual chapter 5.1

Radon

Radon General

• Maine CDC Radon Homepage
• Maine Indoor Air Quality Countil (MIAQC) Radon Homepage
• EPA Radon Homepage

Radon Public Health Education Materials

• Test Your Home for Radon (PDF)  (downloadable tipsheet)
• Making Sense of Your Radon Test Results (PDF)  (downloadable tipsheet)

See other Tipsheets and Rental Property information on Maine CDC's Radon Homepage above

• Maine statute: Rental Property Radon Testing (Title 14 Sec 6030-D)

Asbestos

• Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Asbestos Homepage
• Asbestos, Lead and Indoor Air Quality for schools, state-owned bldgs and licensed facilities, refer to: Division of Safety and Environmental Services
• What is the LHO's role in Asbestos exposure? See LHO Manual chapter 5.6

Other

• Wood Burning and Lung Health (Maine CDC)

Outdoor Wood Boilers, Outdoor Burning

• Why Regulate Outdoor Wood Boilers? (Maine Department of Environmental Protection)
• Maine Statute: Outdoor Wood Boiler (Title 38 Section 610-B)
• Maine Statute: Open Burning (Title 12 Section 9325)
• Maine Rule: Maine Dept of Environmental Protection (DEP) Rule for Open Burning (06-096 Ch 102) (PDF)
• Maine Burn Permit System
• Maine Burn Permit FAQs

What is the LHO's role in outdoor burning? See LHO Manual Section 6.5

Other

• Maine Air Contacts (Maine Department of Environmental Protection)
• Maine Air Quality Forecast by Region (Maine Department of Environmental Protection)
• Maine Air Quality Forecast, Ozone and Particle Pollution (Maine Department of Environmental Protection)
• Airnow.gov Resources
• US CDC: Air Quality (Understanding Air Quality Index)

Drinking Water

• Private Well Water Testing and Safety
• Private Ground Water Wells (CDC)
• Potential Well-Water Contaminants and Their Impacts (EPA)
• How do I get my water tested to determine if my water is safe? (DHHS Drinking Water Program)

Subsurface Wastewater (Septic Systems)

• Maine Subsurface Wastewater Unit home page
• Maine Subsurface Wasterwater Unit - Municipal Office Resources page
• How do I report problems with a septic system? (Subsurface Wastewater Unit Maine DHHS)
• Reference for Property Owners: Ten Tips for Maintaining Your Septic System (Subsurface Wastewater Unit)
• Frequently asked questions about septic systems and the Maine Subsurface Wastewater Disposal Rules (Subsurface Wastewater Unit)
• Maine DEP Small Community Grant Program (SCP)
• Maine statute: Malfunctioning domestic waste water disposal units; abatement of nuisance (Title 30-A sec 3428)
• Maine rules: Maine Subsurface Wastewater Rules

What is the LHO's role in subsurface wastewater? See LHO Manual Section 7.4

Cemeteries

Refer complaints regarding cemeteries and mausoleums to the Maine CDC Subsurface Wastewater Unit. Contact information for the reponsible Environmental Health Specialist can be found on the following page (at bottom): Maine CDC Drinking Water Program's Subsurface Wastewater Unit - Staff Contacts

BedBugs

LHO Guide

• LHO GUIDE: Bedbugs (PDF)

Bedbugs General

• Maine.gov's "Got Pests?" Bed Bugs webpage
• About Bed Bugs (CDC)
• A guide for landlords: Why Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Makes Good Business Sense (National Center for Healthy Housing) (PDF)
• Consumer Law Guide, Ch 14: Consumer Rights When You Rent An Apartment (Maine Attorney General's Office)
• Maine Statute: Treatment of Bedbug Infestation (Title 14 Sec 6021)

See also Landlord/Tenant section below

Browntail Moths

• Knock Out Browntail resources page (Maine Forestry Service)
• Knock Out Browntail brochure (Maine Forestry Service) (PDF) (downloadable)
• Browntail Moth Caterpillars (Maine CDC)
• Maine statute: Browntail Moths (Title 22 Sec 1444)

Rodents

• LHO GUIDE: Rodents (PDF)
• Got Pests? Rats (Maine DACF)
• Got Pests? House Mice (Maine DACF)

Rodent-Borne Diseases

• About Rats and Mice (Why Be Concerned) (EPA)
• Hantavirus Fact Sheet (Maine CDC) (PDF)
• Hantavirus Prevention (printable webpage, CDC)

Rodent Management

• Integrated Pest Management homepage (Maine DACF)
• A guide for landlords: Why Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Makes Good Business Sense (National Center for Healthy Housing) (PDF)
• Controlling Wild Rodent Infestations (printable webpage, CDC)
• How to Clean Up After Rodents (printable webpage with diagrams, CDC)

Public Health Education Materials

• Keep Pests Out (poster) (PDF)
• Stop Mice! (brochure, Northeast Integrated Pest Management (IPM)) (PDF)
• [Listen] Understanding rat biology & behavior - and how to reduce this rodent population in Maine (Interview on Maine Calling, Aug 2022)

Mosquitos

• Mosquito-borne Diseases (Maine CDC)
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis (Maine CDC) - includes EEE Resources for the public
• Mosquito Management (University of Maine Cooperative Extension)
• Keep Mosquitos out of your Septic Tank (CDC)

Resources

• Maine CDC Disease Surveillance Epidemiology Program
• Maine CDC Notifiable Diseases and Conditions List (PDF)
• Orderable Materials

Resources

See also: specific public health topics elsewhere on this page.
The following statutes might be applicable in certain instances. Consult with your municipal officers and municipal attorney regarding the particular situation:

• Maine's Implied Warranty and Covenant of Habitability (Title 14 Sec 6021)
• Dangerous Conditions requiring minor repairs (Title 14 Sec 6026)
• Notice to owner to clean premises; expenses on refusal (Title 22 Section 461)
• Removal of private nuisance (Title 22 Section 1561)
• Dangerous Buildings (Title 17 Sections 2851 - 2859)
• Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC)

Resources

• Is it Hoarding, Clutter, Collecting or Squalor? (International OCD Foundation/Boston brochure)
• For Community Responders (International OCD Foundation/Boston webpage)

[Additional links from above page include "The Role of Hoarding Task Forces," "Hoarding in Elderly Populations," and "Understanding the Legal Issues."]

• What are the Public Health Risks of Hoarding/Addressing the Housing Issue (International OCD Foundation/Boston webpage)
• Hoarding: Expert Q & A (American Psychiatric Association)
• Maine Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) resources page
• Maine Hoarding Task Force (currently inactive)

Animal Hoarding

• Municipal Guide to Animal Control and Working with the Animal Welfare Program (Maine DACF) (PDF)

Resources for Tenants

• Pine Tree Legal - Tenants Rights in Maine
• Consumer Law Guide: Consumer Rights When You Rent An Apartment (Maine Attorney General's Office) See Chp 14, Sec 14.5
• Sample Notice of Violation/Implied Warranty of Habitability Form (Pine Tree Legal) (PDF)

Resources for Landlords

• Providing Healthy Housing: A Guide to Healthy Homes Laws for Rental Property Owners and Managers (Maine CDC Division of Environmental and Community Health)
• Lead Hazard Prevention: Tips for Landords and Property Managers (Maine Dept of Environmental Protection)
• A guide for landlords: Why Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Makes Good Business Sense (National Center for Healthy Housing) (PDF)

MUNICIPAL RESOURCES

Maine Crisis Line 1-888-568-1112

• Maine Crisis Line 1-888-568-1112.
• Call, text or chat support for individuals or families experiencing a behavioral health crisis
• or having thoughts of suicide and/or self-harm.
• Free, confidential, 24/7 support for anyone needing support.
• Maine Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) resources and crisis contacts page

SUD Resources

• Maine Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) resources page
• Know Your Options - Options for Recovery (Maine.gov)
• Find your OPTIONS Liaison (by County)
• Opioids - Naloxone Resources in Maine
• National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine
• NAMI's Statewide Resource Guide (PDF)

What is an LHO?

Coming soon....for municipal webpages: descriptions of the Local Health Officer role that you can opt to post on your town website's local health officer page to help the public understand your role.

Community and Public Health Education Resource Links

Coming soon... for your municipal webpages: community and public health education resource links for your community.

• Feel free to post these on your municipal website's local health officer page. These will be updated seasonally and with newsworthy events; check back here for updates.