Maine's Essential Care & Support Workforce Partnership

04/26/2023

Watch the webinar press event we participated in with the launch of The High Cost of Undervaluing Direct Care Work.

04/26/2023

Today marked the official launch of the Partnertship's first policy report, authored by the Maine Center for Economic Policy. Watch below.

04/26/2023

Read the report just issued by the Maine Center for Economic Policy on the High Cost of Undervaluing Direct Care Work athttps://www.mecep.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/The-High-Cost-of-Undervaluing-Direct-Care-Work.pdf

02/07/2023

Maine has worked diligently over the past 10 years to increase wages and create better working conditions for "Essential Support & Care Workers." While we're thrilled to be recognized as 4th in the nation, we have so much farther to go before workers are fully valued for the incredible work they do, and we have a sufficient workforce to meet demand. Thanks to PHI - Quality Care Through Quality Jobs, we have the support we need to continue to make progress.

PHI's Jake McDonald spoke with Jess Maurer from the Maine Council on Aging about our advocacy partnership on the direct care workforce.

06/27/2021

The MCOA thanks all members of the Appropriations Committee for including increased funding for Maine's Essential Support Workers in the Biennial Budget! Special thanks go to Representative Jess Fay for her incredible and tenacious leadership on this issue over the last three years.

06/16/2021

06/10/2021

"Cobo-Lewis said Gov. Janet Mills’ administration has spoken about wanting to reform services for adults with disabilities. However, in the meantime, he said it’s not fair “for people with disabilities to be stranded on waitlists for an extended period of time.”

Bills designed to curb large waitlists for home-based care services and address workforce shortages in the field are moving forward in the Maine Legislature. Two such bills addressing waitlists, LDs 1360 and 1490, have been approved by the Maine House and Senate. In its amended version, LD 1360,

06/08/2021

There's still time to share your support for LD 1573. These policies are essential. If things don't change now, when will they?

Daily, tens of thousands of Maine workers provide vital daily supports and services to older people, people with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, and people with behavioral health challenges, to ensure they thrive in their homes and community settings. That said, weekly at Sen...