Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Identifying The Interconnection Between Maine's Lobster Industry And The North Atlantic Right Whale Population In Order To Guide Federal Action, Devon Lammert

Honors College

North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) are on the verge of going extinct because of human activity. Entanglements in fixed fishing gear and vessel strikes are killing NARW at such a rate that their extinction is inevitable unless human-caused deaths are significantly reduced. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has subjected Maine’s lobster fishery to regulations aimed at protecting whales since 1997 as part of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. Recently proposed changes to the plan would effectively regulate Maine’s lobster industry out of existence. Lobstering is a cultural and …

Rural Health Action Network Enhanced Outreach Initiative. Year One Final Report, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Karen Pearson Mlis, Ma, Evelyn Ali Bs

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Healthy Community Coalition (HCC), in coordination with the Rural Health Action Network (RHAN) of greater Franklin County, is implementing a multi-faceted outreach program to improve health outcomes among the rural poor living with chronic conditions in greater Franklin County, Maine.

The goals of the Franklin County Rural Health Action Network Enhanced Outreach Initiative (RHAN-EOI) include:

• Expand access to quality services;
• Expand training for community health extenders;
• Decrease hospital admissions, emergency department use, and costs; and
• Improve communication and care coordination across project partners

This report highlights the implementation and progress of HCC RHAN in Year 1. For more information, please …

Maine: A Health-Focused Landscape Analysis, Katherine Ahrens Phd, Amanda Burgess Mppm, Mph, Carly Milkowski Mph, Yvonne Jonk Phd, Louisa Munk Mph, Erika Ziller Phd

Population Health

The Northern Border Regional Commission State and Region Chartbooks compile county- and state-level data related to health and health care access for the Northern Border Region and the individual states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Topics covered in the chartbooks include demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, access to care, health outcomes, mortality rates, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and the location of Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals, and substance use treatment facilities. When data allow, we highlight the counties with the worse performance on a measure, compared with the rest of the counties in the …

The Northern Border Region: A Health-Focused Landscape Analysis, Katherine Ahrens Phd, Amanda Burgess Mppm, Mph, Carly Milkowski Mph, Louisa Munk Mph, Yvonne Jonk Phd, Erika Ziller Phd

Population Health

The Northern Border Regional Commission State and Region Chartbooks compile county- and state-level data related to health and health care access for the Northern Border Region and the individual states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Topics covered in the chartbooks include demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, access to care, health outcomes, mortality rates, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and the location of Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals, and substance use treatment facilities. When data allow, we highlight the counties with the worse performance on a measure, compared with the rest of the counties in the Northern …

Vermont: A Health-Focused Landscape Analysis, Katherine Ahrens Phd, Amanda Burgess Mppm, Mph, Carly Milkowski Mph, Louisa Munk Mph, Yvonne Jonk Phd, Erika C. Ziller Phd

Population Health

The Northern Border Regional Commission State and Region Chartbooks compile county- and state-level data related to health and health care access for the Northern Border Region and the individual states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Topics covered in the chartbooks include demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, access to care, health outcomes, mortality rates, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and the location of Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals, and substance use treatment facilities. When data allow, we highlight the counties with the worse performance on a measure, compared with the rest of the counties in the Northern …

New York: A Health-Focused Landscape Analysis, Katherine Ahrens Phd, Amanda Burgess Mppm, Mph, Carly Milkowski Mph, Louisa Munk Mph, Yvonne Jonk Phd, Erika Ziller Phd

Population Health

The Northern Border Regional Commission State and Region Chartbooks compile county- and state-level data related to health and health care access for the Northern Border Region and the individual states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Topics covered in the chartbooks include demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, access to care, health outcomes, mortality rates, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and the location of Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals, and substance use treatment facilities. When data allow, we highlight the counties with the worse performance on a measure, compared with the rest of the counties in the Northern …

New Hampshire: A Health-Focused Landscape Analysis, Katherine Ahrens Phd, Amanda Burgess Mppm, Mph, Carly Milkowski Mph, Louisa Munk Mph, Yvonne Jonk Phd, Erika C. Ziller Phd

Population Health

The Northern Border Regional Commission State and Region Chartbooks compile county- and state-level data related to health and health care access for the Northern Border Region and the individual states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Topics covered in the chartbooks include demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, access to care, health outcomes, mortality rates, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and the location of Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, hospitals, and substance use treatment facilities. When data allow, we highlight the counties with the worse performance on a measure, compared with the rest of the counties in the …

House: Homeless Opioid User Service Engagement Program. Year 1 Report, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Katharine Knight Mph, Evelyn Ali Bs, Thomas Chalmers Mclaughlin Msw, Phd, Katie Rosingana Ba, Tyler Egeland Ba, Mark Richards Bs, Karen Pearson Mlis, Ma

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Homelessness and lack of stable housing is often a barrier to achieving stability for individuals who are experiencing homelessness (IWAEH) with an OUD. In order to meet the complex needs of IWAEH with OUD, the Department of Health and Human Services funded a pilot program in 2021, the Homeless Opioid Users Service Engagement (HOUSE) Program; clinicians at Greater Portland Health provide clients with low-barrier Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), while staff at Preble Street provide casework support and rapid housing assistance to individuals who have been identified as being at high risk of overdose, are experiencing homelessness, and are diagnosed with …

R.A.C.E. To Recovery Year 1 Evaluation Summary Report, Katie Rosingana Ba, Evelyn Ali Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Through a collaborative effort led by the Healthy Community Coalition, the multi-sector Rural Addiction Care Expansion (R.A.C.E.) to Recovery initiative consortium is utilizing evidence-based, community-wide response to impact and reduce the effects of the opioid epidemic in the Western Maine Public Health District/ Greater Franklin County. To assess and evaluate the implementation, successes, and challenges of the RACE to Recovery project, the Cutler Institute is collecting and analyzing data for both process and outcomes of the initiative.

In the first year of the initiative, the Cutler evaluation team utilized both primary and secondary data to assess RACE to Recovery program …

Support For Me Needs Assessment Summary., Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Katie Rosingana Ba, Evelyn Ali Bs, Karen Pearson Mlis, Ma, Mark Richards Bs, Katharine Knight Mph, Tyler Egeland Ba, Olivia Dooley Mpa

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

Maine Department of Health and Human Services contracted with the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine to conduct a baseline needs assessment. The overall goal was to better understand the current capacity to address substance use in Maine; find barriers to receiving and utilizing SUD treatment and recovery services; and identify any gaps in SUD-related services in the state. The Cutler team conducted interviews, surveys, community listening sessions and focus groups with healthcare key informants (leadership from health systems, residential care, recovery housing, behavioral health agencies), providers (medical, behavioral health, first responders, residential treatment, law enforcement, opioid …

Economic Security Of Older Women In Maine, Kimberly I. Snow Mhsa, Elizabeth Gattine Jd, Sammy-Ellie Mackinnon Msw

Disability & Aging

The Economic Security of Older Women in Maine: Data Report provides a snapshot of how women compare to men on measures such as wages and income, caregiving status, living arrangements, and rates of disability—factors that can impact Maine women's ability to meet their needs with the resources they have. The report, compiled by staff at the University of Southern Maine's Cutler Institute, informs an initiative led by the Maine Women's Lobby Education Fund and the Maine Council on Aging to identify gaps and pathways to support the health and economic security of older Maine women and all Mainers, now and …

Support For Me: Substance Use Disorder Prevalence And Treatment Capacity Assessment, Rachel T. Gallo Mph, Katharine Knight Mph, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

The aim of this report was to understand the sociodemographic and geographic distribution of substance use disorder (SUD) prevalence in Maine, through a claims-based analysis which assessed current statewide capacity to address SUD by examining current SUD treatment and recovery infrastructure, service utilization patterns, and geographic distribution of services and usage throughout the state to identify any gaps in treatment and recovery capacity.

The authors would like to note that this report was completed during the planning phase of the SUPPORT for ME project, which was funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via the SUPPORT Act …

Downeast Maine Mat Expansion Project: Year 3 Final Data Summary, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Evelyn Ali Bs, Katharine Knight Mph, Tyler Egeland Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

This report summarizes the collaborative effort of Healthy Acadia, its providers, the Downeast Substance Treatment Network, and Downeast Substance Use Response Coalition, to combat opioid use disorder (OUD) in Downeast Maine through multiple evidence-based strategies.

Project goals included the reduction of barriers to accessing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and the enhancement of MAT services by improving provider capacity through training and implementation of best practice treatment.

For more information, please contact M. Lindsey Smith, PhD, m.lindsey.smith@maine.edu

Downeast Maine Mat Expansion Project: Year 2 Data Summary, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Evelyn Ali Bs, Tyler Egeland Ba

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

This report summarizes the Year 2 activities of the Healthy Acadia Downeast Maine MAT Expansion Project. Through a collaborative effort of Healthy Acadia, its providers, the Downeast Substance Treatment Network and Downeast Substance Use Response Coalition, the project utilized multiple evidence-based strategies to combat opioid use disorder (OUD) in Downeast Maine.

FMI: M. Lindsey Smith, PhD, m.lindsey.smith@maine.edu

Lincoln County Community Paramedicine Data Collection Initiative [Infographic], Evelyn Ali Bs, Katie Rosingana Ba, Karen Pearson Mlis, Ma

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

No abstract provided.

Lincoln County Community Paramedicine Data Collection Initiative, Katie Rosingana Ba, Evelyn Ali Bs, Karen Pearson Mlis, Ma

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

No abstract provided.

Downeast Maine Mat Expansion Project: Year 1 Data Summary, Mary Lindsey Smith Phd, Olivia Dooley Mpa, Evelyn Ali Bs

Substance Use Research & Evaluation

This report summarizes the Year 1 activities of the Healthy Acadia Downeast Maine MAT Expansion Project. Through a collaborative effort of Healthy Acadia, its providers, the Downeast Substance Treatment Network and Downeast Substance Use Response Coalition, the project utilized multiple evidence-based strategies to combat opioid use disorder (OUD) in Downeast Maine.

Key findings focused on:

• capacity building,
• stakeholder engagement,
• organizational and peer support,
• payment and reimbursement issues,
• the creation of low-barrier access to MAT,
• barriers, including stigma, to MAT
• patient-centered approaches
• auxiliary recovery supports

For more information, please contact M. LIndsey Smith, PhD at m.lindsey.smith@maine.edu

Sustainable Public-Private Strategies To Improve Population Health In Maine: Annotated Bibliography, Zachariah Croll Mph

Population Health

No abstract provided.

Sociodemographic And Health Status Characteristics Of Maine's Newly Eligible Medicaid Beneficiaries [Data Brief], Zachariah T. Croll Mph, Erika C. Ziller Phd, Barbara Leonard Mph

Medicaid

This data brief identifies key characteristics of groups who will gain access through MaineCare expansion. Researchers Croll and Ziller at the University of Southern Maine, along with Leonardson of the Maine Health Access Foundation present a statistical analysis of uninsured non-elderly adults age 18 – 64 with no children and lower incomes, the population newly eligible for MaineCare through expansion. Drawing from five years of data from Maine’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the report addresses sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and access to care. The survey indicates that those who are likely eligible for expanded MaineCare coverage are twice as …

A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Risks Of The Impacts Of Moose-Winter Tick Interactions On Human Health, Maine Economy, And Maine Culture, Asha Dimatteo-Lepape

Honors College

In order to answer the question of how people perceive the interactions between winter ticks and moose, and the impacts that these interactions may have on culture, economy, and recreational practices in Maine, interviews were conducted with participants from four stakeholder groups: hunters, outfitters, Wabanaki citizens, and wildlife managers. By using a case study methodology, I was able to explore moose health risk perceptions as described by participants from the four stakeholder groups, and the likely impacts on recreation behavior, livelihoods and economic viability, cultural maintenance, and wildlife management. In this study, multiple data generation techniques (i.e., semi-structured interviews, archival …

Access To Health Care Services For Adults In Maine [Policy Brief], Erika C. Ziller Phd, Barbara Leonard Mph, Amanda Burgess Mppm, Nathan Paluso Mph

Access / Insurance

This data brief by researchers at the Maine Health Access Foundation and the University of Southern Maine's Maine Rural Health Research Center found ongoing inequality in the ability of people in Maine to get quality health care. The report examines data from 2014-2016 and shows that Maine people, of all income groups, report difficulties in paying medical costs. Research has also found the ability to seek timely and appropriate health care is impacted by income levels, educational background, race and ethnicity.
This brief provides an update to the 2016 study (available in Digital Commons: https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1038&context=insurance)

For more information, please …

Adults Using Long Term Services And Supports: Population And Service Use Trends In Maine, Sfy 2016, Kimberly I. Snow Mhsa, Ba, Frances Jimenez Ba, Tina Gressani, Louise Olsen

Disability & Aging

All of us have likely either used, will use, or know someone who uses long term services and support (LTSS). They enable us to live with dignity and as much independence as possible and offer us the opportunity to remain involved and productive in our communities. The need for LTSS can arise suddenly after injury or illness or a life-long condition. But how ever the need arises, the impact is the same—services such as personal care, work support, home health care, and residential care provide not just for individual health and comfort, but also for interaction, inclusion, and engagement with …

Community Paramedicine Pilot Programs: Lessons From Maine, Karen B. Pearson Mlis, Ma, George Shaler Mph

Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Community paramedicine programs are beginning to flourish across the nation, and the need to provide demonstration or pilot programs is essential to providing a consistent and high-level standard for this model of care. While the overarching goals are to align with the Triple Aim, piloting a community paramedicine program also allows each community to develop and implement a program tailored to the healthcare needs of their specific community. A successful program builds the evidence base that can then be used to create legislative change necessary to financially sustain this model of care across the healthcare delivery system. This article provides …

Charting A Pathway Forward: Redesigning And Realigning Supports And Services For Maine's Older Adults, Eileen Griffin Jd, Elizabeth C. Gattine Jd

Disability & Aging

The current growth of the population age 65 and older is one of the most significant demographic trends in the history of this country and is especially significant for Maine, where the number of people age 65 and older is growing even faster than the rest of the nation. By 2025, over a quarter of Maine’s population is expected to be age 65 and older. Because the cost of long term paid support is out of reach for many Mainers, public financing—particularly Medicaid financing—is an essential tool for addressing the long term support needs of older adults. But Medicaid is …

Unsealed Fate: The Unintended Consequences Of Inadequate Safeguarding Of Juvenile Records In Maine, Susan Hawes, Erica King Msw, Mara Sanchez, George Shaler Mph

Justice Policy

The purpose of this report is to provide policy makers, the public and other juvenile justice system practitioners (law enforcement, Maine Department of Corrections, attorneys and judges) with information about the impact of juvenile justice involvement on young people who have come into contact with the justice system. The goal of this report is to provide policy makers, the public and juvenile justice system practitioners with research about what those closest to the system understand about how records are handled and accessed, the impact of juvenile records and what improvements could be made that are consistent with the rehabilitative and …

An Examination Of Using Social Impact Bonds To Fund Education In Maine, Erika K. Stump Phd, Amy F. Johnson Phd

School Funding - Essential Programs and Services (EPS)

As resolved in H.P. 285 - L.D. 418 (Chapter 52) and requested by the Maine Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, the Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI) has conducted a study with the purpose of examining current policies and investigating the feasibility of using Social Impact Bonds as a funding mechanism for public education programs in Maine.

Accessing Healthcare: The Experience Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Maine, Alan Kurtz, Angie Schickle, Margaret Carr, Marnie Bragdon-Morneault, Susan Russell, Debra Rainey, Jill Downs, Nancy Cronin

Health and Well-Being

Previous research has revealed that children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are significantly more likely to have both unmet healthcare needs than those with other disabilities. In addition, they are more likely to have difficulty accessing primary or specialized medical care. Minority status, living in a rural location, and low income can exacerbate these disparities. Other obstacles to effective healthcare for individuals with ASD include the following: (1) severity of symptoms associated with ASD; (2) lack of knowledge or skill by medical practitioners; (3) lack of access to comprehensive healthcare supports or a medical home; and (4) lack …

Dementia In Maine: Characteristics, Care, And Cost Across Settings [Chartbook], Julie T. Fralich Mba, Stuart Bratesman Mpp, Louise Olsen, Catherine Mcguire Bs, Tina Gressani, Karen Mauney, Catherine Gunn, Romaine Turyn

Disability & Aging

This report provides a baseline picture of the current use of services by people with and without dementia in Maine.

Sam Gen Ms 01 Jean Byers Sampson Papers Finding Aid, John D. Knowlton, Susannah Clark

Search the Manuscript Collection (Finding Aids)

Description:

Jean Byers Sampson was a 1944 graduate of Smith College. Early in her post-Smith career, she conducted and wrote the 1947, “A Study of the Negro in Military Service,” which contributed to President Harry Truman’s decision to desegregate the armed forces. Sampson moved to Maine in the early 1950s with her husband, Richard Sampson, a Bates College mathematics professor, and she played a unique and critical role in the state until her death in 1996. Over the course of her life in Maine, she served as the founder of the first chapter of the NAACP in Maine, local and …

Providing Long Term Services & Supports To People With Impaired Decision-Making Capacity: Results Of Data Analysis And Interviews Examining Needs And Characteristics Of Persons With Impaired Decision-Making Capacity In Maine, Eileen Griffin Jd, Louise Olsen, Julie T. Fralich Mba

Disability & Aging

This document:

• Reviews the prevalence of impaired decision-making capacity among adults and older adults receiving publicly funded home care services and supports in Maine, the characteristics of this population group, and the caregivers caring for persons with impaired decision-making capacity.
• Reports on interviews with providers describing their ideas for helping people with impaired decisionmaking capacity live in the community longer.
• Reviews the legal status of persons receiving long term services and supports in Maine, including the presence of a guardian or a Power of Attorney, among those with impaired decision-making capacity across settings.
• Reports on interviews with providers, describing kinds …