Partnership in Action
Research, Updates, News, and MoreBudget Proposals Unravel Years of Progress
UPDATED MARCH 15, 2025: Going into this legislative session, The Partnership was working to build on the progress it has made over the past few years. Unfortunately, we have been spending the first months of this session fighting to hold the gains we have made. We are working hard to minimize the damage that will be done if we cannot find the will to increase investment in our essential care & support workforce and our long term support services.
Partnership Members and Others Come Together to Push for the Reinstatement of MaineCare Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs)
At the end of January, the Legislature deliberated on the Governor’s proposed Supplemental Budget. In this article, we summarize the fight to insure the State meets their requirements in the legislated Rate Setting System.
WGME: Maine Speaker proposes bill to boost wages for direct care workers
WGME, Channel 13 News Reporter, Anna Coon, caught up with Speaker Ryan Fecteau about one major provision in The Maine Essential Care & Support Workforce Enhancement Act he recently submitted.
PPH: Speaker of Maine House unveils bill to ease health care workforce shortage
The Portland Press Herald covers Speaker Fecteau’s submission ofThe Maine Essential Care & Support Workforce Enhancement Act.
Speaker Fecteau Submits Bill to Address Maine’s Direct Care Workforce Shortage
This bill is the result of years of stakeholder engagement through Maine’s Essential Care & Support Workforce Partnership and we are thrilled that Speaker Fecteau understands the importance of each piece of this bill to the health of Maine’s people and the economy.
Partnership Urges Maine’s Legislature to Act on Behalf of Workers
On December 2, 2024, the Mills administration announced that the Department of Health and Human Services will not implement cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the MaineCare program. In response, we’ve asked the Legislature to intervene.
Working Groups Issue Phase One Reports
Between October and early December, the Partnership’s three working groups worked to produce recommendations for action.
The Future of Maine’s Care Workforce Planning Summit
Read the Culminating Report from this past event and learn how you can have an impact on this ongoing and growing crisis.
The Partnership Launches Its Second Report
Authored by the Maine Center for Economic Policy, the report, titled, Closing the Gap: Maine’s Direct Care Shortage and Solutions to Fix It, builds on MECEP’s previous work to support efforts by academics, advocates, consumers, state health officials, policymakers, and providers to address issues that impact our direct care system.
Webinar: The High Cost of Undervaluing Direct Care Work
This 41 minute video does more than highlight the major findings of The Maine Center for Economic Policy’s study of the costs born by the state due to the extreme shortage of direct care and support workers: The High Cost of Undervaluing Direct Care Work.