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A few weeks ago I had coffee with a young aspiring journalist. We talked about her writing and potential pathways into the field; I passed along two pieces of advice that have served me well both in journalism and in life (listen actively and read physical books). 

The conversation quickly turned, however, to mental health. She talked about how her friends had changed since they'd gotten phones, about their struggles with attention and with serious mental health issues. I was disoriented by her facility with the language and the ease with which she named various psychiatric issues her friends and fellow students were dealing with – suicidal ideation, attention deficit disorder, anxiety, depression.

The pandemic had profound effects on the well-being of students in Maine and around the country, many of them negative. That, coupled with the state’s drastic shortage of mental health professionals (there were just 316 active psychiatrists with Maine addresses as of last November, according to Monitor reporting, half as many as three years earlier), has meant months-long waitlists for care.

This week, Monitor reporter and Roy W. Howard fellow Adrienne Washington looks at one effort to increase access to mental health counselors where young people spend most of their time: in school. The five-year, $9 million effort is targeted at the districts with the highest needs and fewest number of counselors, many of which are in rural areas.

We've also got great reporting on new rules for short-term rentals in the unorganized territories, an update on the once-promising salmon farm in Bucksport and an important piece from our friends at ProPublica and the Bangor Daily News on the failure of a program meant to protect Maine's most vulnerable residents from homelessness.

Thanks for reading,

Kate

Federal funding helps schools hire mental health counselors

Administrators say the money is helping “meet students where they’re at.” Whether providers will stay when the money runs out is another question.

Read this story by Adrienne Washington.

Bucksport salmon farm still on ice: Six years after Whole Oceans announced plans for a land-based farm, the site is empty and permits have expired. Town officials still think it could work out. Read this story by Murray Carpenter.

State planners move forward watered-down rule on short-term rentals: The Land Use Planning Commission will require rental owners to register with the state as commissioners consider additional regulations. Read this story by Emmett Gartner

Maine public housing tenants face eviction at high rates. A new program to keep renters housed excludes them: A new eviction prevention program fails to protect some of Maine’s most vulnerable residents from homelessness. Read this story by Sawyer Loftus for ProPublica and the Bangor Daily News, republished by The Maine Monitor.

December ‘radio hour’ digs into dams in Maine: The show offers a behind-the-scenes look at recent Maine Monitor reporting. Listen to the episode here.

Washington County behind in removing weapons from people at risk

A compilation of data by The Maine Monitor found that the county has filed just a single “yellow flag” order since the law passed nearly four years ago.

Read this story by Emily Bader. 

Know of a story that we should be digging into? Send it to our newsroom. 

The Maine Monitor is a publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an independent and nonpartisan nonprofit news organization. We believe news is a public good and keep our news free to access. We have no paywall and do not charge for our newsletters. If you value the reporting we do for Maine, please consider making a donation! We cannot do this reporting without your support.