Maine agrees to improve behavioral health services for children with disabilities
- The U.S. Department of Justice and Maine officials have reached a settlement to enhance support for children with behavioral health disabilities.
- This settlement results from a lawsuit claiming Maine violated rights by unnecessarily segregating these children in institutions.
- The agreement mandates community-based services that allow children to remain with their families, reducing institutional confinements.
In a significant development, officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the state of Maine announced that they have reached a settlement aimed at enhancing behavioral health services for children with disabilities. This agreement follows a lawsuit that asserted that Maine was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act by unnecessarily segregating children with behavioral health disabilities in institutional settings. The Department of Justice indicated that this practice not only infringes on the rights of these children but also prevents them from remaining with their families or foster families. The settlement calls for essential changes within the state's mental health services framework to enable children to receive necessary support at home instead of being confined within institutions or emergency departments. The settlement outlines that the state must focus on boosting community-based services and offer avenues for children to transition out of institutional care to a more supportive environment that prioritizes family engagement. Maine's Governor Janet Mills remarked on her administration's commitment to children’s mental health, noting that the state has invested approximately $260 million to enhance behavioral health services for children over recent years. Data presented by the governor further highlights that the number of Maine children requiring residential treatment has significantly decreased, with figures falling from 290 to 192 for in-state care and from 250 to 69 for out-of-state placements. This agreement underscores Maine's responsibility to comply with federal laws, reinforcing the need to create a more inclusive and supportive system for children with disabilities. The implications of this settlement reflect broader concerns about the treatment and rights of children with behavioral health issues across the United States, ensuring that they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve while receiving necessary care within their community.