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April 26, 2022 Human Services

AUGUSTA— The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced today the launch of an online resource for Maine families and the pilot of a new tool for mandated reporters to submit concerns about child safety during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.

In proclaiming April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Maine as part of a national awareness campaign, Governor Janet Mills urged Maine people to dedicate themselves to improving the quality of life for all children and families by working together to increase awareness of abuse and neglect and promote activities that support children’s social and emotional wellbeing.

“Maine people share the goal of ensuring that children grow up in a safe and stable environment that provides them with every opportunity to succeed,” said Governor Janet Mills. “My Administration is working with partners throughout the state to address the underlying issues that often contribute to child abuse and neglect and to support child protective caseworkers on the front lines in our communities. Prevention is the best way to protect children and strengthen families and succeeds when Maine people work together.”

“There is no higher priority for the Department and for the people of Maine than keeping children safe,”said Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew and Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) Director Todd Landry. “Together, we can work towards preventing child abuse by strengthening programs and resources that support healthy and thriving families. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Maine people, the Legislature, and the many partners throughout the state who are devoted to this critical work.”

Ensuring that parents and caregivers have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need helps promote the social and emotional well-being of children and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities. “Protective factors” that reduce the risk for neglect and abuse and support positive outcomes for children, youth, and families include knowledge of parenting and child development, parental resilience, social connections, and concrete supports.

To that end, the DHHS Office of Child and Family Services partnered with other Department Offices and state agencies to develop and launch this month Access Maine, an online guide of programs and resources tailored for families to connect them to services and resources. Access Maine includes information about meeting basic needs, such as nutrition and child care, as well as domestic violence support, mental health and substance use resources, and other programs, complementing Maine’s 211 directory.

Access Maine is part of OCFS’ Federal Family First Prevention Services Act plan, which expands prevention services to help keep children and families healthy and safe and prevent the need for children to come into the care and custody of the State. In September 2021, Maine became the first New England state to gain approval to implement Family First and will receive approximately $2.4 million in additional Federal funding annually.

Additionally during this Child Abuse Prevention month, OCFS is piloting a new online portal for selected mandated reporters to submit reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. The portal is available only to those categories of mandated reporters who are permitted under statute to make non-emergency reports electronically: medical professionals, hospitals and hospital staff, school personnel, and law enforcement personnel. OCFS is promoting the new portal with these professionals, with plans to expand the tool to all mandated reporters in the future.

Anyone in Maine, including mandated reporters, may continue to call the 24-hour Child Protective Hotline at 1-800-452-1999 to report suspected abuse or neglect.

The Mills Administration has upgraded the child protective hotline system as part of systematic improvements at OCFS, including replacing the decades-old Maine Automated Child Welfare Information System with a new system, Katahdin, in January 2022 on time and on budget, streamlining work and saving caseworkers’ time. The Administration also established a Background Check Unit to improve investigations and has made major changes to the intake process.

The new supplemental budget includes key initiatives and over $10 million to bridge gaps in the child welfare workforce, fill key staffing gaps, and implement recent child welfare recommendations from a range of experts. These recommendations align with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Child & Family Services Strategic Plan to improve policies and practices to ensure child safety.

Recognizing that child safety is impacted significantly by forces outside of the child welfare system, the Mills Administration has also worked to address systemic challenges facing Maine. Upon taking office, Governor Mills prioritized responding to the opioid epidemic, expanding work to prevent drug use and enhance the availability of treatment and recovery resources – important initiatives as the pandemic has worsened the opioid epidemic both in Maine and across the country. Governor Mills also reestablished the Children’s Cabinet, which has made significant strides in supporting early childhood development as well as successful transition of youth to jobs and education.

As part of Child Abuse Prevention month nationally, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau, and several partners have developed the 2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide which provides more information for stakeholders and families and highlights examples of innovative prevention approaches being implemented by communities across the country.