Primary Care Office (PCO)

Maine's Primary Care Office (PCO) coordinates local, state and federal resources to improve access to primary care in medically underserved communities throughout Maine. The goal of the PCO is to lower the barriers that prevent Mainers from accessing high quality health care services in their communities. Some of these barriers include:

  • Inadequate numbers of health professionals serving a community
  • Limited services available to uninsured and publicly insured individuals
  • Long distances to health care such as those found in many rural communities
  • Disparities in health services availability because of ethnicity or socioeconomics
  • Policies that inhibit access to health care

The Primary Care Office focuses on assessment for primary health professional workforce needs throughout the state and on directing incentives to those qualified professionals and clinics willing to care for medically underserved people in areas determined to have a provider shortage.

Functional Areas

  1. Fostering Collaboration
  2. Technical Assistance to Organizations/Communities Wishing to Expand Access to Primary Care for Underserved Populations
  3. Assessment of Needs
  4. Workforce Development for the NHSC and Safety Net
  5. Shortage Designation Applications and Updates

Contact for more information
Nicole Breton, Director
(207) 287-5524