Blog

  • The Office for Family Independence has implemented a new change designed to support recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in pursuing and maintaining education and employment.

  • The Office for Family Independence (OFI) helps eligible Maine people to meet their basic needs while supporting their path to independence and employment. OFI provides eligibility for three major public assistance programs: MaineCare, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

  • Many MaineCare members receive personal care and other health services in their homes, based on their individual needs. MaineCare is now preparing to roll out a new system known as Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) to allow better tracking of these services.

  • The Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHS) has a long-standing program to help persons with mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders re-integrate into the community following discharge from incarceration.

  • In May, during our inaugural Convening on Aging and Long-Term Services and Supports, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced a new initiative aimed at improving care and services for older Mainers and adults

  • The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) offers home- and community-based services to adults with intellectual disabilities and autism through two MaineCare-funded programs. These are often called waiver programs because they operate with special waivers from the federal government. In Maine, we refer to them as Section 21 and Section 29, which is where they can be found in the MaineCare rules.

  • A view of those served by DHHS, at a glance

    The Department provides health care and social services to approximately a third of the state's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness and substance use disorders.

  • The Department provides health care and social services to approximately a third of the state's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness and substance use disorders.

  • The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has regularly provided updates on improvements and initiatives within our Offices over the past several months. Those updates can be found by visiting the "Department Updates" section of the DHHS homepage.

  • The Office of Child and Family Services has engaged with partners, including the Public Consulting Group (PCG), to evaluate and pursue recommendations for improvements within the children’s behavioral health system (CBHS). Included in that work was the development of a report addressing internal CBHS operations at the Department, which is the result, in part, of the feedback from OCFS staff provided to PCG.

  • The Office for Family Independence determines eligibility for three major public assistance programs: MaineCare, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

  • Improving quality and affordability

    The Department partners with parents and child care providers to provide financial support to ensure that Maine families have access to high-quality child care.

  • The Maine Department of Health and Human Services joins Governor Mills in celebrating the accomplishments of all Maine departments, their employees, and lawmakers during her first 100 days in office.

  • 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 

  • The Maine Public Health Nursing Program continues to add staff who provide essential services in Maine communities. In October and early November, new hires in Augusta, Portland, Rockland, and Bangor increased the statewide number of Public Health Nurses to 31 and total program staff to 40.

  • 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 

  • Photo of Paul SaucierThe Maine Department of Health and Human Services is pleased to announce that Paul Saucier has been appointed as Director of the Office of Aging

  • Supporting children in foster care

    The Maine Department of Health and Human Services is comprehensively evaluating the child welfare system to identify how best to improve the lives of the children and families we serve. Integral to that effort is striving for permanent placements for children, to ensure stability and security as they grow. 

  • Maine's Public Health Nursing (PHN) Program provides vital services and supports to vulnerable populations both in the home and in the community. PHNs routinely provide maternal and child health support and education, adult health services, communicable disease control and refugee health services.