Essential Support Workforce Advisory Committee
Goal
Examine and monitor staffing levels, make recommendations on recruitment and retention of essential care workers, including benefit cliff pilot project and data collection efforts.
Bill Language and Information
Committee Members
The advisory committee consists of 14 members each member was appointed and invited to the first meeting including:
- Senator Joe Baldacci is representing the Senate and was appointed by the President of the Senate.
- Representative Margaret Craven is representing the House of Representatives, and was appointed by the Speaker of the House.
- Dan Belyea from the Maine Community College System is representing an institution of higher education engaged in workforce development, and was appointed by the President of the Senate.
- Stephanie Capano Hatcher from Northeast Residential Services is an essential support worker, and was appointed by the Speaker of the House.
- Donald Dufour from Tri County Mental Health Services is representing an organization providing services to persons with behavioral health challenges who is a member of a statewide association of providers of services to persons with behavioral health challenges, and appointed by the Speaker of the House.
- Jess Maurer (Chair) from the Maine Council on Aging is representing a statewide advocacy association that broadly advocates for people who are entitled to receive essential support worker services, and was appointed by the Speaker of the House.
- Kim Moore is the designee for the Commissioner of Labor.
- Tom Newman from Alpha One is representing an organization promoting independent living for persons with disabilities, and was appointed by the Speaker of the House.
- Gloria Noyes from Westbrook CTE is representing a career and technical education center or region, and was appointed by the Speaker of the House.
- Mary Jane Richards from North County Associates is representing a facility-based long-term care provider who is a member of a statewide association of facility-based long-term care providers, and was appointed by the President of the Senate.
- Betsy Sawyer-Manter from Seniors Plus is representing a service coordination agency for people receiving homebased and community-based long-term care, and was appointed by the President of the Senate.
- Michael Smith from Catholic Charities Maine is representing an organization providing statewide homemaker services through a state-funded, independent, support service program, and was appointed by the President of the Senate.
- Abby Stivers is the designee for the Commissioner of Health and Human Services
- Catherine Thibedeau (Vice Chair) from Independence Advocates of Maine is representing an organization providing services to persons with intellectual disabilities and autism who is a member of a statewide association of providers of services to persons with intellectual disabilities and autism, and was appointed by the President of the Senate.
Meeting Recordings
- LD 898 Meeting: 3/20/2024 (YouTube)
- LD 898 Meeting: 03/15/2023 (YouTube)
- LD 898 Meeting: 07/31/2023 (YouTube)
- LD 898 Meeting: 09/20/2023 (YouTube)
- LD 898 Meeting: 12/06/2023 (YouTube)
Yearly Committee Reports
- LD 898 Legislative Report: 02/01/2023 (PDF)
- LD 898 2023 Annual Report: 02/15/2024 (PDF)
More Information
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