Mainegeneral Medical Center in Augusta in December 2015. Mainegeneral Health confirmed that on Monday, he cuts pediatric psychological services in the center of Maine. Andy Molloy / Kennebec Journal
Mainegeneral Health confirmed on Monday that he reduced pediatric psychological services in the center of Maine – a move of defenders’ defenders will make access to care for children with mental health challenges, autism, attention deficit and other intellectual and developmental deficiencies.
Nathan Howell, president and chief executive officer of Mainegeneral Health, the parental organization of the Mayeneral Medical Center in Augusta, told a written statement on Monday that the “preparation and psychological services” at the Edmund Ervin Pediatric Center close from May 16.
The rapidly pediatric, or PREP assessment program provides services to children recently placed in the family investment system, while psychological services are a mixture of wider pediatric patients.
Howell said the reasons for the discounts are financial, such as “health care through Maine and the nation are in crisis. “Cups are due to the fact that” state repaids do not cover the cost of care, excessive insurance refusals and increased costs to do business “.
The Ervin Center currently operates at an annual loss of $ 1 million, said Mayeneral.
Nancy Cronin, executive director of Maine Developmental Disabilitites Council, an almost governmental agency funded by federal and state dollars, said that the center of Ervin closing some of his services would make it difficult for some parents – in particular those who have the Mainecare – to obtain a diagnosis for their child.
Without diagnosis, pediatric patients would not be eligible for the necessary services, said Cronin.
“We have lost a huge piece of the puzzle,” said Cronin. “It’s as if a bridge had been exploded.”
Cronin said that over time, from the Lepage administration, the state has reduced financial support under Mainecare for diagnostic services for children with mental, intellectual and development disorders. Cronin said the cuts had never been restored since Janet Mills became governor in 2019, leading to a Erosion in these services.
Although the mental cuts will directly affect families who live in the center of Maine, Cronin said that it was following the loss of services in other parts of the state and that access will become a more acute problem. Cronin hopes to join support to provide more robust funding for diagnostic services and for preparation, either by the Mills administration, which draws from the state’s rainfall funds or through the legislation.
“What we are doing is to create huge obstacles to get children what they need,” said Cronin. “It will be a nightmare.”
Cronin said she did not blame Mayeneral for discounts, but rather considers that he does not finance the programs sufficiently.
Lindsay Hammes, Maine spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Social Services, said in a written statement that the agency “is disappointed to learn the Mayeneral decision”.
“This is a commercial decision taken independently by the hospital,” said Hammes. “We examine the options to support families impacted within existing services.”
Howell said in his declaration that “if we recognize the impact of these changes, we will continue to offer 95% of our current services thanks to our robust pediatric and ambulatory rehabilitation services.” These services include speech therapy, physiotherapy, advice and medication management.
The name of the center of Edmund Ervin will be withdrawn, the remaining services under the mental aegis.
The cuts come in the wake of a September 2024 Participation against the Mills administration by the United States Ministry of Justice for having failed to provide suitable behavioral health services to children in the Medicaid program, which is called Mainecare in the State. This trial was settled in November, the state agreeing to stimulate the services.
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