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Anyone who has ever sought mental healthcare for themselves or a loved one in Maine knows it can be a thankless slog of phone calls to providers and navigating insurance coverage. Providers are booked out for months, or not taking new patients at all. Insurance covers this service but not that one. 

This week, Roy W. Howard Fellow and Monitor rural communities reporter Adrienne Washington takes a look at the behavioral healthcare workforce in Maine.

With data obtained from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and help from the great data analysts at the Investigative Reporting Workshop, we found that – despite a pandemic and a rocky healthcare landscape – the number of mental health providers in Maine has increased substantially over the past five years.

What's driving the increase? And has it made a dent in demand? This week, Adrienne looks at those questions and more.

Also this week, we're bringing you an update on a contentious dam in Dover-Foxcroft, an examination of childhood vaccination rates since the state eliminated non-medical exemptions and a conversation with Monitor Senior Healthcare Reporter Rose Lundy on a watered down proposal for staffing regulations for assisted living facilities in Maine. 

As always, thanks for reading and stay warm out there,

— Kate

The number of mental health providers licensed in Maine is up 60 percent since 2019. It still isn’t enough.

Despite the increase, many Mainers are still waiting months for care.

 Read this story by Adrienne Washington

Maine’s childhood vaccination rates have benefited from the elimination of nonmedical exemptions: Maine had one of the highest opt-out rates in the country during the 2017-2018 school year. Read this story by Rose Lundy

Dover-Foxcroft stares down massive tax hike to maintain ailing dam: Without outside funding, maintaining the dam to federal standards would run the town just under $10 million. Read this story by Emmett Gartner

February ‘radio hour’ details Maine’s long-term care challenges: Monitor senior health care reporter Rose Lundy talks with deputy editor Stephanie McFeeters about her reporting on a watered down proposal for staffing regulations for assisted living facilities in Maine. Listen here

Jailed defendants expected private attorney calls. They didn’t always get them.

(Published in 2022)

Murder suspects fear they can’t get a fair trial after state police acknowledge listening to portions of phone calls with their attorneys.

Read this story by Samantha Hogan

Have feedback or a correction to send to Kate Cough? Send it to her directly via email: kate@themainemonitor.org. 

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

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