In the last two months, a variety of foundations have invested in access to mental health services in Maine. We are incredibly grateful for these funds, which will allow children, adults, and families to receive much-needed behavioral health services and substance use disorder treatment.
Spotlight #1: Lewiston and Androscoggin County
A special focus of the grants is Lewiston and Androscoggin County. The John T. Gorman Foundation granted Spurwink funds to support mental health programs in Androscoggin County. The Onion Foundation transferred a grant to Spurwink to continue aiding families directly impacted by the Lewiston mass violence event in 2023. This grant was originally awarded to Tri-County Mental Health Services, which Spurwink acquired in 2024. The grant will also be used to address mental health needs and substance use disorder treatment in the larger community.
Finally, a generous grant from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation will help us increase access to youth mental health services in Lewiston and Auburn. Key impacts:
- Public school counseling positions can be filled, giving children access to much-needed mental healthcare.
- Spurwink’s Children’s Behavioral Health Home case management teams can identify children’s mental health and psychosocial needs, create individualized plans for children and families, and implement these plans.
Spotlight #2: State-Wide Children’s Services
Two other foundations have generously supported mental health services across the state of Maine. M&T Bank awarded Spurwink a grant to ensure that youth continue to access critical mental health services. Funding helps low-income children and their families obtain mental health treatment, skill development, and family preservation. Key impacts:
- Large range of people helped, across 5 counties: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Oxford, and York Counties.
- Evidence-based interventions made available to help children stabilize and thrive at home and school. These include Public School Counseling, Behavioral Health Home Services, and ShifaME Trauma Systems Therapy.
The Simmons Foundation awarded a grant to support ongoing access to critical children’s mental health services, addressing the youth mental health crisis in Maine, particularly among low-income children. Key impacts:
- Large reach across 7 counties: York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Knox, Oxford, and Waldo Counties.
- Helps reduce unmet needs (e.g., secure housing, medication) and lack of insurance, which undermine successful mental health interventions.
- Fills vacant Public School Counseling positions to provide in-school counseling to children with behavioral health problems.
