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Your (Unofficial) Guide to State-Sponsored Therapy in Maine

There’s a way to get affordable mental health care that you might not know about. That’s Maine’s mental health system.

If you qualify, you can get mental health care from a local agency for a small co-pay or a low sliding-scale fee. But even if you don’t qualify for services at a state-funded program, Maine’s system can still give you information, referrals to affordable local providers, and other essential help for free.

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If you’re in a hurry and want to get the most important information about what’s available in the Maine mental health system and who it’s for, you can read our quick start guide below.

Quick Start Guide

Quick facts about Maine’s mental health system:

What services are available?

  •     Maine’s mental health system offers specialty and intensive mental health services that can be hard to find anywhere else, like case management, day treatment, and community-based support services.
  •     Outpatient mental health services including psychiatric evaluation, medication, and group and individual therapy are also available at most publicly-funded mental health programs in Maine.

Who’s eligible?

  •     Some services, such as the statewide mental health crisis line, are available to any Maine resident without exception.
  •     Outpatient services like therapy and medication don’t generally have strict eligibility criteria, but many state-funded programs have long waiting lists for these services.
  •     Some services are only available to people who have severe conditions like major depression or schizophrenia. However, more people have one of these conditions than realize it! In fact, 1 in 10 Americans experience major depression each year.

Where can you get started?

  •    You can reach local mental health crisis and information services from anywhere in Maine by dialing (888) 568-1112 or 988.
  •     You can find contact information for community mental health programs in your area by scrolling to your region in the directory below.

To learn more about public mental health services in Maine, keep reading. We’ve done the research to uncover essential facts about who’s eligible, what services you can get, when to go, where to call, and how it works so you can decide if Maine’s mental health system might be right for you.

Who Is Eligible?

The Maine mental health system can meet many people’s needs, but you should especially consider looking into it if you (or a loved one) are having a mental health crisis, have a severe mental health condition, have MaineCare, or have a limited income.

Everyone in Maine can use the state-funded mental health emergency response system. If you or someone you love is in crisis, you can call the Maine crisis line to get the help you need, quickly.

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Use the State System When You're in Crisis

Public mental health services are usually the best option if you’re having a mental health crisis and need help right away.

State mental health programs are required to provide mental health crisis response services and are one of the fastest ways to get care when you’re having a mental health emergency.

The people who answer the statewide Maine crisis line can provide caring attention and support as they help you determine the best response to a crisis, whether it’s inpatient treatment or an appointment with a counselor.

Even if you’re not in crisis, you can call the state mental health hotline for information about affordable mental health services in your area. When you call, you can find out whether you might qualify for state-funded mental health services, schedule an assessment or intake appointment, or get free information about other affordable local providers.

While there are some services and providers in the Maine mental health system that have stricter eligibility requirements than others, in general, the public mental health system is pretty accessible. There are no statewide eligibility criteria for public outpatient mental health services in Maine.

Because Maine’s mental health department authorizes private programs to provide publicly-funded outpatient mental health services, eligibility requirements vary depending on where you’re looking. In many cases, you’re more likely to have difficulty finding care in the public mental health system because of long waitlists than because of strict eligibility requirements.

While state-funded programs generally prioritize clients with severe mental illness or limited incomes, and some programs exclusively specialize in services for people with serious mental illness, many programs in the Maine public network serve clients outside of those groups as well, including people with milder mental health issues.

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What Is Serious Mental Illness?

You don’t have to have a serious mental illness (SMI) to get basic outpatient mental health services from most publicly-funded outpatient programs in Maine, but some services and programs are exclusively for people who have SMI.

For example, you’re usually only eligible for case management services if you have a serious mental illness. In addition, when demand is high or staffing is low, people with SMI are given priority admission at some programs.

So, what is SMI? Serious mental illness is usually defined as a condition that causes you severe distress, limits your ability to function, makes it hard for you to live independently without support, or puts you at risk of hospitalization. Conditions that can qualify as SMI include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.

The primary way Maine provides state funding assistance for mental health services is through MaineCare. Most programs that participate in the Maine public mental health system accept it.

The state mental health department and participating programs can sometimes offer other types of financial aid if you don’t qualify for MaineCare.

The eligibility criteria for financial aid for mental health care in Maine are relatively strict. However, in many cases, if you don’t qualify for public funds, you can still access community mental health care. Most programs that participate in the public mental health system accept both public and private insurance and offer sliding scales or reduced fees to those who qualify.

Even if you don’t qualify for a discount, programs in the public network may still be an affordable option. To find out how fees for programs in the public mental health system compare to fees for other providers, you can call the programs you’re interested in and ask about their payment options.

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Check If You're Eligible for MaineCare

MaineCare is a great way to access the public mental health system in Maine. Not only do most programs in the public mental health system accept it, but you can also use it to get services from many other programs and private practitioners.

Maine accepted federal Medicaid expansion in 2019, so you’re eligible for MaineCare if your income is 138 percent of the federal poverty level or less. You may also qualify based on a combination of your income, your medical history, and your mental health condition.

If you’re not sure whether you’re eligible, it’s worth looking into. You can apply for Medicaid in person, by phone, or online. To learn more, you can go to a DHHS district office or fill out an online application on My Maine Connection or Healthcare.gov.

Maine’s mental health system includes small private counseling practices and specialty providers as well as large comprehensive mental health non-profits and hospital systems.

Some programs in the public mental health system focus only on therapy and counseling, while others focus on specialty and intensive services for people with serious mental illness. Some comprehensive programs offer both. So, you’ll need to look through the local programs that serve your area to find the right one for you.

You can find contact information for publicly-funded mental health programs in your area in the directory section of this article.

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Check Out the State System If You Need Specialized Services

Publicly-funded mental health programs in Maine are great places to find specialized and intensive mental health services like case management and day treatment that can be hard to find anywhere else. These specialty programs can give you extra help when you’re dealing with severe symptoms.

You can call any program you’re interested in to learn more about what services they offer, whether you’re eligible, and whether there’s a waitlist. You can find the numbers for programs that serve your area in the directory below.

We encourage you to call even if you’re not sure whether you’re eligible or whether you’ve found the right program. Even if you don’t meet the program’s requirements or they don’t offer the service you want, they can probably still help you.

Community mental health workers are knowledgeable about local resources and will often give you free information or even referrals to other affordable providers nearby, including local non-profits that provide free or low-cost counseling.

Where Do You Call to Get Started?

The easiest way to learn more about state mental health services in Maine is to call the program you’re interested in directly or to call the statewide mental health hotline. You can find the contact information for programs in your area and other local mental health resources in the directory in the next section.

There are also many numbers you can call for help no matter where you are in Maine. You can find the numbers for statewide helplines and hotlines in the information box directly below.

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Important Numbers in Maine

The national mental health crisis hotline is 988.

The statewide Maine mental health crisis line is (888) 568-1112 or 711.

The Crisis Text Line for the state of Maine is 741741.

For help and referrals for mental health and many other needs, you can call 211.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline is 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).

You can reach the non-emergency NAMI Maine Helpline at (800) 464-5767.

If you just need to talk to someone, you can talk to a peer any time of day by calling the 24/7 Maine Warmline at (866) 771-9276.

You can contact the Maine Office of Behavioral Health by calling (207) 287-2595.

Public mental health services in Maine are managed on the state level by the Office of Behavioral Health within the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. For general information about Maine’s mental health system, you can call OBH at (207) 287-2595 or DHHS at (207) 287-3707.

However, you’ll probably get the best results by calling the program you’re interested in directly. You can find the numbers for local state-funded programs in the directory below.

Maine Mental Health Directory

Public outpatient mental health services in Maine are provided by private agencies that contract with the Department of Health and Human Services.

You can contact the central state office for the Department of Health and Human Services at (207) 287-3707 and the Office of Behavioral Health within DHHS at (207) 287-2595. You can also contact your local DHHS district office for information about services in your area.

You can find the contact numbers for DHHS district offices in the directory below, as well as contact information for licensed behavioral health homes, community mental health programs, and hospital-based outpatient mental health programs.

Some community mental health programs have their own crisis lines, but for the most part, if you’re in crisis, you should call the statewide Maine mental health crisis line at (888) 568-1112  or 988.

Maine Clinics and Crisis Lines

Southern Maine Mental Health Programs

 

 

Western and Midcoast Maine Mental Health Programs

 

 

Northern and Eastern Maine Mental Health Programs

 

If you need information after hours or aren’t sure whether you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, it’s okay to call a crisis line for help. The staff who answer are trained to quickly figure out what you need and can tell you what steps you need to take to connect with the right services.

Also Consider: Federally Qualified Health Centers

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are another great way to get affordable publicly-funded mental health services in Maine.

These federally-funded programs provide cutting-edge care in places where good primary healthcare was once hard to find. Most provide integrated care so you can get primary medical and mental health services at the same location. Each FQHC accepts Medicaid and Medicare and offers low sliding-scale fees if you don’t have insurance.

You can search for FQHCs near you by using the online search tool on the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration website.

Troubleshooting Guide

The state mental health system is complicated and can be confusing to navigate. If you’re having any issues, we’re here to help. Here are some of our solutions to common problems you might experience.

Problems and Solutions

 1.   You can’t get through to someone on the phone.

Except in extremely rare circumstances, someone should answer a crisis line any time you call. But if you’re not in crisis, the person you talked to gave you another number to call, and you’re having a hard time getting through, you can try going to a walk-in clinic instead.

Many programs in the Maine public mental health system run walk-in centers where you can be seen during regular business hours on Monday through Friday. Some let you walk in and wait without an appointment. You can often be seen the same day. If the wait is long or they don’t have availability, you can schedule an appointment and come back.

We recommend checking local programs’ websites for walk-in locations and hours.

2.    There’s a long waiting list.

State-funded services are often in high demand. Maine is working to shorten waiting times and make sure you can get seen for essential services right away. However, if you’re not in crisis, you may still have to wait before you can be seen by a therapist or other mental health provider.

Sometimes, it’s worth it to wait if you’ve found a good therapist or service. You can read our article on what to do before your first therapy session for tips on how to maintain your mental health while you wait.

If your symptoms are getting worse and you’re worried you can’t wait, you should call a crisis line. The caring people who answer can help you figure out if you need help right away and tell you where and how to get the level of care you need.

If you’re not in crisis but don’t want to wait, you can call a state or local mental health hotline, an intake worker, the main number, or your contact person at the agency to ask if there are other options. There may be another affordable local program they could tell you about that could meet your needs but has a shorter waiting list.

3.    You’re not eligible for state-funded services.

If you’re not eligible for state mental health services in Maine, you’re not eligible for the service you want, or your local program doesn’t offer that service, the people who work there should still be able to help you.

Intake workers usually keep lists of affordable local mental health resources for people who aren’t eligible or would prefer to go somewhere else. Ask for information, a printed resource list, or even a direct referral to another provider.

4.   The state system doesn’t offer the service you want.

State mental health programs sometimes have to change or limit the services they offer based on their current funding. If you’re admitted to a state-funded program but it doesn’t offer the service you need, you have two options.

One is to try an alternative service that they do offer. The other is to ask if they can recommend an affordable alternative provider who does offer that service.

If they do offer the service you want, but it’s limited, stand up for yourself if they try to get you to do something else. Don’t accept getting pushed into something you don’t want just because it’s easier for them or because they can get you in faster.

If you’re willing and able to wait, tell them you would prefer to wait for the service you want, whether that’s therapy, medication, or something else.

5.    You don’t like your therapist.

You should never accept bad therapy—or bad mental healthcare of any kind—for any reason. This is just as true in the public system as it is anywhere else. If you have a bad therapist, ask for a new one. Tell your main contact person at the agency, an intake worker, or a manager that you want to try a different therapist.

If you’re not sure whether you have a bad therapist, you can read our articles on how to spot an unethical therapist and how to do a background check on a therapist. If you don’t like your therapist but wonder if it the problem might be fixable, you can read our articles, “What If I Don’t Like My Therapist?” and “How to Fix Problems with Your Therapist.”

If you don’t like the first therapist you’re assigned, ask someone at the agency if they have a webpage or list of therapists you can review. You can read their bios and see if you think one might be a better match. Not all agencies do this, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. You can read our article on how to choose a therapist for information on what to look for.

If you’ve run into a problem that we haven’t addressed, don’t give up. Call someone at the program (or the state mental health hotline) and tell them what’s going on.

You’re much more likely to get the help you need when you advocate for yourself and are persistent. Tell the person you talk to what you need or what problem you’re having.

If they don’t help the first time, call them back and tell them. If you keep calling and keep calm and focused, you should eventually get through to someone who can help you.

Deep Dive: How Does the System Work?

To understand Maine’s mental health system, it helps to understand how it started and how it’s changed since then.

Public mental health services have been around for a surprisingly long time. But for over a hundred years in America, the only way to get them was in a psychiatric hospital.

In the 1960s, Americans started thinking differently about mental health care. Conditions in psychiatric hospitals were getting worse and new medications made it possible to provide mental health treatment on an outpatient basis.

In response, new laws were passed that required state and local governments to establish community mental health programs as alternatives to institutionalization for people with serious mental illness. The most important was the Community Mental Health Act, which President John F. Kennedy signed into law in 1963.

DEEP DIVE

For More Information

To learn more about what the public mental health system was like in the early days—and how psychiatric inpatient care has evolved since then—you can read our article “Do Insane Asylums Still Exist? The Surprising Past and Present.”

To learn more about what inpatient mental health treatment is like now, and the differences between how it works in general hospitals and specialized psychiatric facilities, you can read our article “How Inpatient Mental Health Treatment Works.”

Many state mental health programs trace their origins back to the 1960s when these important changes started to happen.

Maine is no exception. Many community mental health programs that are still providing services to Mainers today were founded in the 1960s, even in the early years before the federal Community Mental Health Act was passed.

However, even after establishing these programs, Maine continued to rely on its state psychiatric hospitals for most of its public mental health care.

This lack of funding or attention to the community-based mental health system, as well as poor conditions in the state hospitals, resulted in lawsuits and the signing of the Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI) Consent Decree in 1990. The consent decree required Maine to improve its mental health service system and establish more community options.

Maine is still working to fulfill the requirements of the consent decree after entering into a new agreement with the court in January 2021.

DEEP DIVE

What Is the Structure of the Maine Mental Health System?

Public mental health services in Maine are managed on the state level by the Office of Behavioral Health within the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Maine’s mental health department contracts with private programs to provide state-funded mental health services. In addition to managing the state’s community mental health network and licensing outpatient mental health programs, DHHS oversees the mental health crisis response system and Maine’s two state psychiatric hospitals in Bangor and Augusta.

Maine has historically spent more per capita on mental health care than many other states, but this has largely been due to its dependence on expensive institutional care.

Maine significantly decreased its overall mental health spending after major cuts were made to mental health services during the national recession that began in 2007.

Chronic underfunding of the community mental health system has led to a workforce shortage and long waitlists for therapy and other outpatient mental health services across the state. Fortunately, Maine has been making efforts to reverse these trends.

Maine significantly increased its mental health budget in 2022 and 2023 with a historic $230 million investment. It has used this increased funding to launch the 988 crisis line, expand mobile crisis services, open new crisis centers, and modernize community mental health services.

You can use these new state services to get the care you need. If you’re in crisis or need mental health care and aren’t sure what to do, you can start by calling the statewide crisis line at (888) 568-1112 or 988—the people who answer know how the system works and will help you get where you need to go.

Conclusion

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, only 49 percent of people in Maine who have mental health conditions get treatment for them. Many of them qualify for public mental health services but don’t know about them.

You can make a difference by reaching out and connecting with local mental health resources to get the care you need. If you’re not sure whether you qualify for Maine state mental health services, call your local Health and Human Services office or the state mental health hotline. You may find out you can get mental health services through a state-funded program or that there’s another affordable option nearby.

The most important thing is to get started—the help you need may be only a call or click away.

Sponsored by BetterHelp
Are You Thinking of Online Therapy? Start Here to Get Matched with a Licensed Therapist Right For You.

Therapy with No Waiting Rooms or Driving. Take a quick quiz about your preferences and needs and get matched to a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Have you been in therapy before?

   

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