The Maine Department of Health and Human Service has launched an online resource for Maine families. Access Maine is an online guide of programs and resources that includes information about meeting basic needs, such as nutrition and child care, as well as domestic violence support, mental health and substance use resources, and other programs, complementing Maine’s 211 directory.

Access Maine is part of OCFS’ Federal Family First Prevention Services Act plan, which expands prevention services to help keep children and families healthy and safe and prevent the need for children to come into the care and custody of the State.

In September 2021, Maine became the first New England state to gain approval to implement Family First and will receive approximately $2.4 million in additional Federal funding annually.

Additionally during this Child Abuse Prevention month, OCFS is piloting a new online portal for selected mandated reporters to submit reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. The portal is available only to those categories of mandated reporters who are permitted under statute to make non-emergency reports electronically: medical professionals, hospitals and hospital staff, school personnel, and law enforcement personnel. OCFS is promoting the new portal with these professionals, with plans to expand the tool to all mandated reporters in the future.

Anyone in Maine, including mandated reporters, may continue to call the 24-hour Child Protective Hotline at 1-800-452-1999 to report suspected abuse or neglect.

The Mills Administration has upgraded the child protective hotline system as part of systematic improvements at OCFS, including replacing the decades-old Maine Automated Child Welfare Information System with a new system, Katahdin, in January 2022.

The Administration also established a Background Check Unit to improve investigations and has made major changes to the intake process.