THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN AUGUSTA WRAPPED LAST MONTH AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT PASSED RELATED TO HELPING WITH MENTAL HEALTH. TO DISCUSS, WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY SWEETSER’S PRESIDENT & CEO JAYNE VAN BRAMER. SWEETSER HAS MENTIONED THAT THAT FUNDING FOR WALK-IN CARE CLINICS IS AT RISK. DID THE LEGISLATURE ADDRESS THAT? CCBHC FUNDING THE LEGISLATURE TOOK A HUGE STEP FORWARD BY PASSING AND SIGNING LD 721 INTO LAW. THIS BILL, SPONSORED BY REP. ANNIE GRAHAM, WILL HELP STABILIZE AND STRENGTHEN CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS ACROSS OUR STATE. CCBHC IS A BEST PRACTICE MODEL THAT FOSTERS GREATER ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES, AND SWEETSER HAS BEEN A LEADER IN BRINGING WALK-IN CARE COORDINATION TO THE STATE. WE CALL THESE CLINICS HOPE AND HEALING CENTERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN BRUNSWICK, LEWISTON, AND SANFORD. THIS NEW LAW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING, AND SUBSEQUENT MATCHING FEDERAL DOLLARS WILL HELP SUPPORT CONTINUED ACCESS TO CARE. WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SHORTER NATIONAL SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE NUMBER 988. IS THIS NEWER NUMBER NOW PART OF MAINE LAW? 988 CODIFICATION YES. 988 IS THE MENTAL HEALTH VERSION OF 911 AND IT HAS REDUCED BARRIERS TO ACCESSING IMMEDIATE SUPPORT. MAINE OFFICIALLY CEMENTED THE 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE INTO STATE LAW WITH LD 1216 TO PROTECT ITS PERMANENCE AND INTEGRATION. BY FORMALLY DEFINING AND CODIFYING 988 WITHIN THE SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF MAINE STATUTE GOVERNING DHHS CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES, THE LAW ENSURES 988 REMAINS A PERMANENTLY RECOGNIZED, RELIABLE PILLAR OF THE STATE’S RESPONSE NETWORK. IT ALSO ESTABLISHES A CLEAR LEGISLATIVE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE COORDINATION, FUNDING, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS. FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH IN PARTICULAR, WHAT PASSED WILL HELP MAINE FAMILIES? PRTF PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FUNDING GOVERNOR JANET MILLS INCLUDED $3.4 MILLION IN HER SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES TO CREATE MAINE’S FIRST YOUTH PSYCHIATRIC RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITY. AFTER POSITIVE VOTES ON THE HHS AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES, THE FULL LEGISLATURE VOTED TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET AND INCLUDED THESE CRITICAL FUNDS. THE LEGISLATURE STEPPED UP TO ADDRESS A CRITICAL, LONG- STANDING GAP IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR MAINE’S YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM. COMBINED WITH $2 MILLION PREVIOUSLY APPROPRIATED AND SWEETSER’S MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CAPITAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, SWEETSER WILL AIM TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON THIS 16-BED FACILITY THIS SUMMER ON OUR SACO CAMPUS. IF PEOPLE WANT TO GIVE TOWARDS THE PROJECT, OR CORPORATE PARTNERS WOULD LIKE TO HELP SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION, REACH OUT TO US AT SWEETSER. ORG/BUILDHOPE. CONSTRUCTION, REACH OUT
How the Maine Legislature helped strengthen mental health resources
Updated: 4:19 PM EDT May 22, 2026
The Maine legislative session wrapped last month and there were a number of bills related to mental health that passed in Augusta.Sweetser President and CEO Jayne Van Bramer said the Maine Legislature took a huge step forward by passing and signing LD 721 into law. The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Annie Graham, will help stabilize and strengthen certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHC) across the state.Van Bramer said CCBHC is a best practice model that fosters greater access to mental health and recovery services. Sweetser has been a leader in bringing walk-in care coordination to Maine through its Hope and Healing Centers, which are located in Brunswick, Lewiston and Sanford. The new law, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in state funding and matching federal funding, will help support continued access to care, according to Van Bramer.The Legislature also officially cemented the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline into Maine law with LD 1216, which protects the lifeline’s permanence and integration. Van Bramer described 988 as the mental health version of 911 and said the lifeline has reduced barriers to accessing immediate mental health support. The law passed by the Legislature formally defines and codifies 988 within the specific sections of Maine statute governing Department of Health and Human Services crisis intervention services. Van Bramer said the law will ensure 988 remains a permanently recognized and reliable pillar of the state’s response network. The law also establishes a clear legislative foundation for future coordination, funding and public awareness campaigns.Gov. Janet Mills also included $3.4 million in her supplemental budget proposal for capital construction resources to create Maine’s first youth psychiatric residential treatment facility. After positive votes from the Health and Human Services and Appropriations and Financial Affairs committees, the full Legislature voted to support the supplemental budget. Van Bramer said by passing the budget, the Legislature stepped up to address a critical, long-standing gap in the continuum of care for Maine’s youth behavioral health system. With $2 million in previously appropriated funding and a multimillion-dollar capital fundraising campaign currently underway, Van Bramer said Sweetser will aim to begin construction on the 16-bed facility this summer on its Saco campus.
PORTLAND, Maine —
The Maine legislative session wrapped last month and there were a number of bills related to mental health that passed in Augusta.
Sweetser President and CEO Jayne Van Bramer said the Maine Legislature took a huge step forward by passing and signing LD 721 into law. The bill, sponsored by State Rep. Annie Graham, will help stabilize and strengthen certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHC) across the state.
Van Bramer said CCBHC is a best practice model that fosters greater access to mental health and recovery services. Sweetser has been a leader in bringing walk-in care coordination to Maine through its Hope and Healing Centers, which are located in Brunswick, Lewiston and Sanford. The new law, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in state funding and matching federal funding, will help support continued access to care, according to Van Bramer.
The Legislature also officially cemented the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline into Maine law with LD 1216, which protects the lifeline’s permanence and integration. Van Bramer described 988 as the mental health version of 911 and said the lifeline has reduced barriers to accessing immediate mental health support. The law passed by the Legislature formally defines and codifies 988 within the specific sections of Maine statute governing Department of Health and Human Services crisis intervention services. Van Bramer said the law will ensure 988 remains a permanently recognized and reliable pillar of the state’s response network. The law also establishes a clear legislative foundation for future coordination, funding and public awareness campaigns.
Gov. Janet Mills also included $3.4 million in her supplemental budget proposal for capital construction resources to create Maine’s first youth psychiatric residential treatment facility. After positive votes from the Health and Human Services and Appropriations and Financial Affairs committees, the full Legislature voted to support the supplemental budget. Van Bramer said by passing the budget, the Legislature stepped up to address a critical, long-standing gap in the continuum of care for Maine’s youth behavioral health system. With $2 million in previously appropriated funding and a multimillion-dollar capital fundraising campaign currently underway, Van Bramer said Sweetser will aim to begin construction on the 16-bed facility this summer on its Saco campus.