Latest news with #LoriGramlich
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Maine lawmakers give preliminary approval for student mental health funding
One in six Maine children have been diagnosed with anxiety, and 7% are struggling with depression, according to data from the John T. Gorman Foundation.(Photo by Getty Images) As the state continues to grapple with its record of not providing adequate behavioral health support for young people, a proposal to make funds available for schools to hire licensed behavioral and mental health experts has received initial backing from the Maine Legislature. The Maine House of Representatives passed LD 858 on Wednesday with 79 members voting in favor and 68 opposed. The Senate passed it without a roll call vote. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lori Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach), will go back to both chambers for final enactment votes. The bill establishes a program within the Maine Department of Education to provide grants to districts that contract licensed professionals for behavioral and mental health services. The funds can only be used to cover those not otherwise covered or reimbursable through MaineCare, the state's Medicaid program. Proponents of the bill — including educators, administrators and medical professionals — say the grant program is much needed as Maine educators are not adequately trained to manage worsening student behavior issues, according to a 2025 Maine Education Policy Research Institute report. Critics of the proposal said it infringes on a parent's rights when their child seeks counseling at school, and raised concern about the limited information about what kind of services would be covered under the grants. Gramlich said one in six Maine children have been diagnosed with anxiety, and 7% are struggling with depression. Further, 20% of Maine children have experienced two or more Adverse Childhood Experiences — higher than the national average of 17%. ACEs include experiences like violence or abuse, and the stress and trauma that accompanies them can have a lasting negative impact on a child's wellbeing, according to data from the John T. Gorman Foundation that she cited during the floor discussion Wednesday. 'Some school districts do offer these types of services in a school-based setting, but the current availability of school-based services is nowhere near adequate. Even when these school-based services are currently available, the funding of these services is so lean and precarious that the future of these programs is constantly in question,' she said, of the proposal that will cost $1.3 million in state funding. 'These kids need help now. LD 858 would be an important step toward ensuring Maine students have the mental and behavioral health services they need,' she said. Rep. Sheila Lyman (R-Livermore Falls) raised concern about what she said was a lack of clarity around the scope of services provided. 'What specific behavioral and mental health interventions are we funding? Who decides what is appropriate for each child, and how will parents be informed or asked for consent?' she asked. 'This bill does not sufficiently protect a parent's right to know and direct the mental and behavioral care their child receives in a school setting,' Lyman said. The Legislature passed a similar bill last year that died on the special appropriations table, where bills that pass but aren't otherwise provided for in the state budget compete for remaining funds. Those that are not explicitly funded by the budget committee ultimately die. Maine has a record of not providing adequate youth mental health support. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state under the Americans with Disabilities Act for unnecessarily segregating children with behavioral health needs and failing to ensure they could thrive in a community-based setting. The state settled last November, with Gov. Janet Mills saying her administration and the Legislature will continue to invest in mental and behavioral health resources. 'We all strongly agree that in-community behavioral health services are critical, and we are committed to continuing to strengthen the delivery of those services for Maine children who need them,' Mills said in a statement at the time. While the settlement agreement required Maine to expand the availability of community-based behavioral health services for children, it did not specifically add any of these services to schools. The bill, if funded, 'would provide Maine school-aged children with support they need by meeting them where they are most often, and that is their school,' Gramlich said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmaker, advocates say Maine needs new Office of the Child Advocate
May 9—Lawmakers and child welfare advocates want to create a new independent state agency — the Office of the Child Advocate — to strengthen watchdog services, advise state government on child welfare complaints and make recommendations to help improve the child protective system. Maine's child welfare system has been under a critical spotlight for years, with high-profile cases of abuse and neglect, overburdened caseworkers, high turnover among staff, an increased number of children in state custody and longer times for children to reunify with families. A bill sponsored by Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, LD 1893, would replace the ombudsman program that is currently part of the Maine Office of Child and Family Services with a new agency outside that office. The ombudsman's role would be retained and folded into the new independent agency. The current child welfare ombudsman, Christine Alberi, told members of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee on Friday that she supports the bill. Alberi said the proposal would preserve the duties of her office while adding more oversight functions and could be "pivotal in addressing Maine's struggles with older youth." Melissa Hackett, policy associate with the Maine Children's Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group, said the structure of the new agency would help develop a more holistic approach to child welfare. "There are concerns not only with the child welfare system, but also related to children with behavioral health needs, and those involved with the juvenile justice system," Hackett said. "A (currently) siloed approach to these children and youth, who often experience similar challenges that lead them to involvement with multiple systems, constrains our ability to see the broader issues that impact their safety and well-being." The bill does not yet have a fiscal note with information about what the office would cost, but Alberi noted that it would need to be well-funded to be effective. In a 2024 report to lawmakers, Alberi wrote that the "child welfare staff continue to operate under enormous pressure" and that the "systems that surround child welfare are currently unable to support children and families in the way that they should." The number of children in state custody reached its highest level in 20 years in 2024, with more than 2,500 as wards of the state. Permanent placements stood at 22%, far below the national standard of 40%. Former OCFS director Todd Landry resigned under pressure in 2023, replaced by Bobbi Johnson. Abby Stivers, government relations director for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, testified "neither for nor against" the bill. "The department would like more time to consider this proposal," Stivers said. "If enacted, it would have extensive reach throughout state government." She said the new agency would engage not only with DHHS but also with Maine State Police, and the education and corrections departments. "New frameworks like LD 1893 require more thoughtful consideration and engagement with interested parties than we can conduct during this (legislative) session," Stivers said. No one spoke in opposition to the bill. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bipartisan call to model child welfare oversight in Maine after New Hampshire
The failings of the Office of Child and Family Services, a division of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, was a key focus of the Legislature last session. (Photo by Getty Images) A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to change oversight of child welfare in Maine to mirror the approach taken by its neighboring state. Assistant House Majority Leader Lori Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach) said she modeled her bill after the New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate. LD 1893, which has two Republican and seven Democrat cosponsors, would transfer Maine's existing child welfare ombudsman into a new, independent agency with expanding responsibilities to advocate for Maine children. The proposed Office of Child Advocate would have the authority to receive complaints, access information, investigate, make public reports and advise the executive and legislative branches on how best to provide services to the state's youth. 'This bill builds a foundation for meaningful oversight and reform while ensuring children's voices and interests remain at the forefront,' Gramlich told the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee during a public hearing Friday morning. After renewed scrutiny in recent years, there have been multiple proposals from lawmakers and agency leadership to improve the state's embattled child welfare system. Last year, frontline workers came forward with accounts of onerous workloads that culminated in December with a letter of no confidence in the agency's leadership. The proposed restructuring comes after the committee backed a proposal to update the state's definition of child abuse and neglect that legal experts have argued is easy to conflate with poverty. Christine Alberi, the state's current child welfare ombudsman, supports the bill to transition her position into an Office of Child Advocate because it preserves the work her office is already doing while adding 'necessary functions.' For example, the new office would allow for juvenile justice investigations and access to facilities such as Long Creek Youth Development Center, the South Portland-based youth correctional facility. However, Alberi said that adequate funding would be crucial to the office's success. During the hearing, she said it wasn't clear where those resources would come from, since the ombudsman office has struggled with a lack of funding for staff since 2012. The current child welfare ombudsman program in Maine operates as a nonprofit that assists and investigates complaints against how child protective services cases are handled. It submits an annual report that includes an analysis of case specific reviews and other details about its interaction with the Office of Child and Family Services. Having served as New Hampshire's first child advocate, Moira O'Neill said she believes Maine could have avoided a lawsuit with the U.S. Department of Justice over the state's children's behavioral health services had there been a proactive resource checking on the children in the care of the Department of Corrections. The suit was settled last November. O'Neill, who helped craft the model in New Hampshire before stepping down in 2021, supported Maine adopting that structure. She said Maine's current ombudsman office leaves many children, especially those in the juvenile justice system, without an ally. Republican lawmakers in New Hampshire have expressed interest in cutting the Office of Child Advocate when looking for ways to trim the state budget. Gramlich said the Office of the Attorney General suggested modest amendments to the bill that she is happy to work with the committee to incorporate. The Department of Health and Human Services, which houses the state's child welfare agency, spoke neither for nor against the bill. Director of Government Relations Abby Stivers said the department would like more time to review the proposal, but cautioned that the new framework being proposed likely requires more consideration than the department can give it in the remaining time for this legislative session. Stivers said the authority granted to the child advocate in this legislation could be wide reaching and questioned whether it is necessary given the multiple forms of oversight that already exist for child welfare services. The agency is subject to federal oversight, multiple citizen review panels and was subject to extensive investigative work from the Legislature's Government Oversight Committee last session. However, Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Penobscot) reintroduced a bill he brought forth last session to create an Office of the Inspector General of Child Protection. 'The problems with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services are going to require far more than cosmetic surgery being suggested by some,' he told the committee when introducing LD 770. An inspector general at the state level would send a 'clear and articulate message' that the accountability and transparency of Maine's child welfare system needs to be substantially changed, Baldacci said. He referenced a 2024 report from the federal watchdog that indicated Maine struggled to comply with best practices in the vast majority of abuse and neglect cases. Under this proposal, the inspector general would be appointed by the governor to serve a five year term, with the potential for reappointment. It would also take on matters related to juvenile justice and have subpoena powers. No one from the public testified on the bill. Bobbi Johnson, director of the Office of Child and Family Services, provided written testimony opposing the legislation. She wrote that it isn't clear what benefit the role would offer to the 'robust and comprehensive oversight of child welfare that already exists.' The proposal last session ultimately died after it was not endorsed by the Health and Human Services Committee. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawmakers contemplate pause on artificial turf to study potential health, environmental hazards
Artificial turf can contain some toxic chemicals, including phthalates, which have been known to increase risks of cancer, asthma and other negative health outcomes. (Photo: Aire images/ Getty) Voters in South Portland may be asked on the November ballot to choose between natural grass and artificial turf at the high school athletics complex, but that project could face a hiccup from Augusta with a bipartisan group of lawmakers trying to pause synthetic field projects. The Maine Legislature's Environment and Natural Resources Committee held a public hearing Wednesday for a proposal to put a three-year moratorium on installing and replacing artificial turf fields while the Department of Environmental Protection studies whether it is a risk to public health and the environment. 'I urge you to consider the safety of both our children, our environment and to support this legislation,' said Assistant House Majority Leader Lori Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach) when presenting LD 1177. While supporters of the bill echoed Gramlich's concern for microplastics and other chemicals that could leach into waterways and human bodies, its opponents wondered why that sort of analysis can't be done without a moratorium that could cause costly disruptions to efforts to build and maintain these fields. Gramlich said current data and studies about the potential risks from artificial turf is scattered, so asking the department to vet and compile those findings would make it easier for Mainers to access reliable information to apprise decisions in their communities. South Portland resident Mary Linneman spoke of the time-consuming research she and others in her community have undertaken to advocate for a natural grass field. She supports LD 1177 because delegating that work to the state could make the process more efficient for other communities who may face similar questions. Gramlich also spoke of health risks to children who play on these surfaces, such as increased chance of dehydration since artificial turf can get hotter than regular grass. Though, there is also evidence that natural grass could pose a greater risk of concussions, especially while playing football. A senior at Mount View High School in Thorndike told the committee he experiences more knee and hip pain after playing soccer on a turf field, when sharing the reasons why he is in support of the bill. Other proponents of the bill raised concerns about the toxic chemicals found in artificial turf including phthalates, which have been known to increase risks of cancer, asthma and other negative health outcomes. There was also discussion about the presence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in the artificial turf; however, fields with intentionally added PFAS will already be banned in the coming years under current state law. Despite industry improvements to eliminate PFAS and move away from using recycled rubber in these fields, testing may not capture all types of forever chemicals, said Sarah Woodbury, vice president of policy and advocacy for Defend Our Health. At the same time, she said the organic materials to replace the rubber are often still treated with chemicals for durability. Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford), a cosponsor of the bill, also expressed worries about these fields ending up in landfills when Maine is already facing a solid waste 'crisis.' Turf fields generally need to be replaced every 10 years. Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Melanie Loyzim testified neither for nor against the bill. She said there are logical questions around using turf, but certain language in the bill should be clarified and the department would need more resources to complete the proposed work. Dennis Walton, athletic director for Biddeford Schools, argued it violates the principle of local control and fails to recognize the environmental hazards such as pesticides, mowing and high water usage needed to maintain natural fields. Superintendent Jeffrey Porter also opposed the bill because MSAD 51 is in the process of installing a turf field for the Cumberland-North Yarmouth district after a 20-person committee spent three months researching and deciding on a PFAS-free product to replace its current grass field that is in poor condition. Athletics facilities at the University of Maine are undergoing overdue maintenance, including the addition of artificial turf fields, said Samantha Warren, chief external and governmental affairs officer, testifying against the bill. She said the university contracted with manufacturers whose products align with the state's current PFAS regulations, but this proposal would 'move those goalposts' and cost the university more money to redesign the project. Additionally, artificial turf is important when recruiting students to play at the state's only Division I school, Warren said. While turf is used at many collegiate facilities across the country, professional athletes have come out against its use including the NFL Players Association and the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team. Mayor Mark Dion said Portland has invested in artificial turf to provide safe, accessible and durable athletic spaces throughout the city. Rather than implementing a moratorium, Dion suggested in his written testimony that the state should collaborate with municipalities while trying to better understand the environmental impacts. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maine Legislature to discuss three-year halt on artificial turf installation
Apr. 8—A bill to place a three-year moratorium on the installation or reinstallation of artificial turf on indoor and outdoor playing fields will get its first public hearing Wednesday in a meeting of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. LD 1177, sponsored by Rep. Lori Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, with bipartisan co-sponsoring support from nine other members of Maine's state House and Senate, was submitted on March 20. It asks for a three-year halt on installing any synthetic turf in Maine. That includes replacing existing and worn-out turf and covers both indoor and outdoor spaces. The bill would also require a study of the public health and environmental risks of synthetic turf, often referred to as artificial turf. The Portland nonprofit Defend Our Health worked with Gramlich to craft the legislation, said Sarah Woodbury, the organization's vice president of policy and advocacy. Woodbury said synthetic turf often has common toxic materials, including heavy metals like mercury and lead, as well as PFAS, often referred to as "forever chemicals." "There's all sorts of nasty stuff in this turf, and that's not even looking at the higher incidence of injuries on artificial turf," Woodbury said. The issue of artificial turf's safety, and whether it can be linked to causing cancer, has been a point of public debate for years. But in Maine's challenging weather environment, the number of middle and high schools with artificial turf has more than doubled in the last decade. When Massabesic installed its turf in 2016, it was the 16th middle and high school. Now there are 35 middle and high schools with artificial turf fields, and another 20 or so turf fields at Maine colleges, according to Mike Burnham, executive director of the Maine Principals' Association. Many of those building projects have met with local resistance from groups concerned about environmental damages. But new artificial turf fields have replaced natural grass fields at several high schools in the last five years, including Kenenbunk, Messalonskee in Oakland, Cony in Augusta, and Gardiner. South Portland will ask voters to choose whether they want to improve the school's athletic complex with a $4.3 million natural grass option, a $5.1 million artificial turf option or no improvements. Other communities that have dealt with or are still grappling with the issue in the past year include Kittery, Cumberland, and the Gray-New Gloucester district. The new professional men's soccer team, the Portland Hearts of Pine, paid to replace the old artificial turf field at city-owned Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland with a new artificial playing surface. "It's just adding more toxic plastics in the world, and we don't need that," Woodbury said. "The argument we hear a lot of times is, 'It's not that big a deal, we've been using them for 50 years, we're fine.' We're not that fine. It's more body burden." Woodbury said she anticipates doctors from the Maine chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility will speak in favor of the bill, along with several concerned parents. A key component of the bill is having the Department of Environmental Protection complete a thorough study of the available research to determine the impact of synthetic turf fields during the proposed three-year moratorium. It would not require that existing synthetic turf fields be removed. "We think it's important, at the very least, to bring public awareness to these concerns," Woodbury said. Copy the Story Link
