The state’s director of child and family services cited the agency’s response to high profile deaths as well as a lack of attorneys to represent parents and declining support services as reasons for the increase.
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Posted inThe Penobscot Times
More than 44,000 Mainers projected to lose food assistance under SNAP proposal
A Trump administration proposal to kick millions of Americans off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would threaten essential food benefits for more than 44,000 Maine people, nearly half of whom are children, older Mainers, and people with disabilities, according to The Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
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Posted inThe Penobscot Times, Uncategorized
DHHS releases funding to lower home heating costs
The funding will make available $3 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding to the Maine Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP).
Posted inMaine
How each candidate for governor would tackle Medicaid expansion, the opioid crisis and protecting Maine’s most vulnerable
Health care policy is a frequent topic on the Maine gubernatorial campaign trail, with issues such as Medicaid expansion and the opioid crisis turning up in campaign literature, advertisements, on the stump and at debates. Maine voters approved Medicaid expansion by a 59 to 41 percent margin in November 2017, which would make 70,000 low-income […]
Posted inMaine
Maine says it’s reduced welfare penalties to $1.8 million
PORTLAND (AP) — Maine has largely avoided $28 million in federal penalties by making sure enough welfare recipients are working, according to a Sept. 25 letter obtained by The Associated Press from Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration to lawmakers. Republican Gov. Paul LePage’s administration told lawmakers last week that Maine now only faces $1.8 million […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
DHHS urges pot users to keep drug away from children
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services is urging marijuana users to take steps to prevent children from accidentally ingesting the drug, after a spike in reports to a poison hotline. Also, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention is promoting a new state website that provides information on such topics as marijuana […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Paul LePage submits bills to revamp child-protection system
Maine Gov. Paul LePage has sent five bills to the Legislature that would dramatically overhaul a child protection system that has been under investigation for months following two high-profile deaths. The most wide-ranging bill has not yet been printed, but an overview provided by the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday revealed that it seeks […]
Posted insj-web
Maine DHHS denying Medicaid expansion applicants as lawsuit continues
The LePage administration is rejecting applications for Medicaid from people who became newly eligible for the program under an expansion approved by voters last fall, according to documents and a progressive advocacy group that is suing the state. Maine has so far refused to expand the health insurance program, which primarily serves low-income residents, even […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine DHHS denies applications for expanded Medicaid
Denial letters have started to go out for Mainers applying for coverage under Medicaid expansion, according to documents and a progressive advocacy group that is suing the LePage administration. The Mainers are eligible for Medicaid under a new law that was approved last year by voters, but the state has so far refused to expand the health […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
DHHS commissioner to retire
Ricker Hamilton is retiring as state commissioner of health and human services, a department that is under investigation by the Legislature’s watchdog agency after the beating deaths of two young girls who were in the child protection system. Hamilton has run the Maine Department of Health and Human Services since May 2017, when he was […]