Blog

  • 2/25/2021

    The Maine DHHS Office of Child and Family Services announced today that due to increased availability of BinaxNOW COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, distribution of the rapid test kits will be expanded to the 1,726 licensed child care providers that have the capacity to serve 41,792 chi

  • 2/22/2021

    Maine has five MaineCare-funded Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs that provide flexible supports to older adults and individuals with disabilities to assist them in their daily lives and prevent admissions to nursing homes, intermediate care facilities and other institutional settings.

  • 2/15/2021

    Starting today, some health coverage options are available again under a new Special Enrollment Period for the COVID-19 public health emergency. Maine people who qualify can enroll in or change Marketplace health insurance plans from February 15, 2021 through May 15, 2021.

  • 1/21/2021

    Part of a transparent and data-driven review of how MaineCare pays for health services for 300,000 members  

  • 10/20/2020

    As part of the Department’s evaluation of its transportation services, we will conduct virtual listening sessions (PDF) for beneficiaries and other interested parties to assess how our transportation programs are performing and how they can best meet beneficiaries’ needs for acc

  • 9/4/2020

    The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has awarded $1 million to 24 organizations in Maine under the COVID-19 Health Equity Improvement Initiative, with the goal of supporting culturally-tailored prevention, education and social support activities.

  • 8/21/2020

    The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides home and community-based services to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD, ORC), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and brain injury primarily through MaineCare-funded programs.

  • 8/6/2020

    The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) continues to advance work to establish a State-Based Health Insurance Marketplace to improve the accessibility and affordability of private health insurance, which is especially important given COVID-19.

  • 7/31/2020

    Who We Are

    For the second year, DHHS is posting "Who We Are," (PDF) is a snapshot of our workforce.

  • 7/24/2020

    Maine DHHS seeks to improve equitable outcomes from its health and human services programs. Today, the Department issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather public input on the Department’s organization, grant and contracting processes, and engagement with the diverse communities in Maine.

  • 7/9/2020

    In the absence of a vaccine, the strategy to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is prevention and early detection, quarantine, and isolation. Each element of this strategy requires education, access to testing, the ability to stay apart from others, and communication to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about contacts who may also be infected.

  • 6/22/2020

    In Maine and across the country, racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Action is needed urgently to address these disparities and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in coordination with the Governors Coronavirus Response Team, is committed to further steps to improve our response.

  • 6/19/2020

    The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has proactively completed outreach to a variety of Maine’s congregate living facilities about their infection control policies and practices in response to COVID-19. This work has informed DHHS about the needs of these facilities and how best to support them in protecting the health and safety of their residents and employees.

  • 5/7/2020

    Quarterly Update: Supporting Adults with Developmental Disabilities and Brain Injury in their Homes and Communities

    The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides home and community-based services to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD, ORC), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and brain injury primarily through MaineCare-funded programs.

  • 5/6/2020

    We've released our fifth Who We Serve (PDF) snapshot, which provides key statistics for major programs throughout DHHS. Updated quarterly, it shows at a glance the content and scope of DHHS services.

  • 3/25/2020

    The Bridging Rental Assistance Program (BRAP) assists clients with Serious Mental Illness, including those who also have a Substance Use Disorder, with obtaining transitional housing. BRAP provides a rental subsidy and assists clients with finding independent housing in communities throughout Maine.

  • 3/3/2020

    In November 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a proposed rule laying out a process to design a program for the wholesale importation of prescription drugs from Canada, as required by legislation passed in the first legislative session.

  • 2/24/2020

    The Office of Child and Family Services' (OCFS) is working to improve children's behavioral health services, guided by a framework that is the product of close collaboration among Department leadership, OCFS staff, families, providers, and other stakeholders, using Public Consulting Group's analysis and recommendations as a starting point.

  • 2/21/2020

    Maine's rural communities face a growing crisis in meeting the health care needs of their residents. Over the past decade, many have experienced an erosion of fundamental health services, growing financial threats to their hospitals, and challenges to sustaining their health workforce.

  • 2/13/2020

    After receiving initial feedback, the Department of Health and Human Services is withdrawing its proposed rule to consolidate Medicaid (MaineCare) school-based health services into a new Section 106. The intent of the rule was to ensure that the Department balances the need to comply with federal rules and to ensure access to critical services, with children's wellbeing at the center.