Thanks to funding from the Maine Health Access Foundation and Maine Council on Aging operating funds, Jess Fay, MCOA’s Policy & Advocacy Director, will be joining Brenda Peluso as part-time staff to the Partnership.
Goals for year four of this work are to build on the ongoing work of the Partnership plus launch new complementary and essential initiatives. These new initiatives include researching the establishment of a publicly funded trust to pay for long-term care and supports, finding better ways to measure the impacts of the care gap, and exploring ways to provide essential care and support workers with quality benefits like health care, retirement, and paid time off.
As part of the ongoing work, the Partnership will be grappling with the setbacks we experienced in the long session of the 132nd Maine Legislature. While the session was certainly challenging, here are a few things we were able to accomplish, and a look to what this Fall and beyond will bring.
- Small Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) were added back and harmful language was NOT added back into budget bills thanks to the strong bi-partisan support of legislators and the intense advocacy work by the Partnership.
- LD 977, Resolve, Requiring the Maine Health Data Organization (MHDO) to Develop a Plan for Measuring Gaps in Home and Community-based Services passed and was funded. We look forward to MHDO’s report in early 2026.
- LD 1932, Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau’s bill, Maine Essential Care and Support Workforce Enhancement Act, was carried over to the short session and the Partnership will be supporting the Speaker in any needed amendments and advocating for its passage.
- The working groups all made progress in advancing their goals. These groups will reorganize and reconvene in the fall to continue to work toward for our vision: “Every person who needs care and support services in Maine is able to receive consistent and predictable care and support from an empowered and valued worker who is trained to deliver quality services, regardless of the setting in which services are delivered.”
Stay tuned for more details and for ways you can be involved.