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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 29 of 29
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Margaret Chase Smith Essay: Priorities Of The U.S. Senate Aging Committee, Susan M. Collins
Margaret Chase Smith Essay: Priorities Of The U.S. Senate Aging Committee, Susan M. Collins
Maine Policy Review
Senator Susan Collins of Maine discusses the three major priorities of the U.S. Senate Aging Committee: investing in biomedical research targeting diseases that disproportionately affect older Americans, such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes; protecting seniors against financial exploitation and scams; and improving retirement security.
The Demographic Transformation In Maine (And Beyond) Is In Full Swing, Lenard W. Kaye
The Demographic Transformation In Maine (And Beyond) Is In Full Swing, Lenard W. Kaye
Maine Policy Review
The article discusses the demographics of longevity and what it means for Maine. Lenard Kaye, guest editor, introduces the topic and describes the reasons for this special aging-focused issue of the Maine Policy Review.
The View From Augusta: Developments Growing Out Of The Speaker’S 2013 Round Table Discussions And 2014 Aging Summit, Mark Eves, Jessica Maurer
The View From Augusta: Developments Growing Out Of The Speaker’S 2013 Round Table Discussions And 2014 Aging Summit, Mark Eves, Jessica Maurer
Maine Policy Review
Mark Eves and Jessica Maurer describe the significant progress made in Maine since 2013 in addressing aging-related issues through collaboration between legislative and community-based efforts. The Maine Aging Initiative, formed in 2014 and coordinated through the Maine Council on Aging and the House Speaker’s office, plays a significant role in supporting these efforts.
Maine’S Initiatives In Geriatric Medical Care: Commentary From The Front Lines, Cliff Singer, Roger Renfrew
Maine’S Initiatives In Geriatric Medical Care: Commentary From The Front Lines, Cliff Singer, Roger Renfrew
Maine Policy Review
Cliff Singer and Roger Renfrew write from their perspectives as medical practitioners and leaders in geriatric medicine to examine issues affecting health care and outcomes for older adults in Maine. Focusing on the acute and primary care systems, they highlight issues and policy recommendations they think are most urgent or helpful.
Shaping The Health And Long-Term-Care Infrastructure Serving Older Adults: Historical Trends And Future Directions, Julie Fralich
Shaping The Health And Long-Term-Care Infrastructure Serving Older Adults: Historical Trends And Future Directions, Julie Fralich
Maine Policy Review
Over the last few decades, federal and state policy have been driving a shift away from nursing facility-based long term services and supports (LTSS) toward home and community-based services (HCBS). As Maine’s aging demographics generate increasing demand for LTSS, the state faces a number of significant challenges as it tries to make living at home longer a viable option for more and more older adults who need assistance in order to do so. This article reviews the confluence of demographic and policy shifts that will shape the future of Maine’s LTSS system.
The Aging And Developmental Disabilities Networks: Can The Silos Be Dismantled?, Lenard W. Kaye, Lucille A. Zeph, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis
The Aging And Developmental Disabilities Networks: Can The Silos Be Dismantled?, Lenard W. Kaye, Lucille A. Zeph, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis
Maine Policy Review
The authors discuss the service networks for aging and developmental and physical disabilities, which have traditionally functioned in distinctly separate camps. They present the case for greater crossover between these networks and endorse increased alignment of the aging and disability networks in all arenas, including policy making, program development, education, and research.
Lessons From Health Reform, Trish Riley
Lessons From Health Reform, Trish Riley
Maine Policy Review
Maine’s Dirigo Health reform is a microcosm in the current sea of health reform, but a full decade after its enactment the similarities to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are striking. Both reforms created subsidized, private health insurance, negotiated by an independent entity; both expanded Medicaid and included strategies to improve quality and lower cost; and both met with strong, well-organized conservative opposition. This essay briefly explains the politics surrounding the Dirigo reform and the compromises that allowed Dirigo to continue under two governors and serve over 41,000 people and nearly 1,000 small businesses which can transition to the ACA …
Home Care Workers In Maine: Increasingly Essential Workers Face Difficult Job Conditions, Sandra S. Butler
Home Care Workers In Maine: Increasingly Essential Workers Face Difficult Job Conditions, Sandra S. Butler
Maine Policy Review
As the population in Maine ages, the need for home care workers is increasing. Turnover is high in this field and the longitudinal Home Care Retention Study (HCWRS; n = 261) reported herein examined predictors of turnover and work experiences of home care aides in Maine. Younger age, lack of health insurance and poorer mental health were among the predictors of termination for the 90 study participants who left their jobs. In telephone interviews, they spoke of low wages, inconsistent hours, unreimbursed mileage and poor communication with employers in describing why they had left their jobs. A follow-up inquiry with …
Outdoor Smoke-Free Policies In Maine, David E. Harris, Suzanne Roy, Sarah Mayberry
Outdoor Smoke-Free Policies In Maine, David E. Harris, Suzanne Roy, Sarah Mayberry
Maine Policy Review
Incontrovertible evidence of the deadly impacts from both direct tobacco use and environmental exposure to tobacco smoke has led to the institution of smoking bans, first in indoor venues and, more recently, in some outdoor area. This article reviews the science behind smoking bans as well as the history and policy implications of smoking bans with an emphasis on the experience in Maine. As examples we focus on recent outdoor smoking bans in South Portland (parks and beaches) and smoke-free campus rules at a Maine hospital (Franklin Memorial Hospital) and a part of the University of Maine system (University of …
Poor Nutrition Amidst Plenty, Dora Anne Mills
Poor Nutrition Amidst Plenty, Dora Anne Mills
Maine Policy Review
Hunger and food insecurity is on the rise in Maine as are increases in obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, all linked to food choices. Old and young, immigrant and native, rural and urban—Mainers are experiencing a food emergency made graver by the economic recession and rising health costs. Dora Anne Mills writes about “poor nutrition amidst plenty,” its causes, consequences, and the programs and policies that address it
Food Safety, Alfred A. Bushway, Beth Calder, Jason Bolton
Food Safety, Alfred A. Bushway, Beth Calder, Jason Bolton
Maine Policy Review
The authors describe the importance of food safety regulations and practices in this era of global food systems and illustrate some of the challenges facing Maine’s small food producers and processors.
Interdepartmental Coordination For Maine’S Young Children With Disabilities, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis
Interdepartmental Coordination For Maine’S Young Children With Disabilities, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis
Maine Policy Review
Alan B. Cobo-Lewis describes Maine’s system of services for young children with disabilities. He notes that families of young children with disabilities face challenges in navigating Maine’s service structure. There can be delays before children get appropriate evaluation, and there are sometimes problems with inter-agency referrals. Cobo-Lewis makes a number of recommendations regarding data linkage; coordination of eligibility determination from different funding streams; updating inter-agency agreements; and creation of a more efficient state departmental structure for services to children with disabilities
Building On Mainecare’S Success, Lisa Pohlmann, Christine Hastedt
Building On Mainecare’S Success, Lisa Pohlmann, Christine Hastedt
Maine Policy Review
This commentary provides a particular viewpoint on MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program). Lisa Pohlmann and Christine Hastedt critique reform efforts in several states and emphasize the key role of MaineCare in the state’s overall health care system.
Taking A New Look At Mainecare, Paul Saucier
Taking A New Look At Mainecare, Paul Saucier
Maine Policy Review
Maine’s Medicaid program, called MaineCare, provides health care coverage to one in five state residents. Paul Saucier gives an overview of MaineCare’s services, eligibility categories, and financing. He discusses root causes of MaineCare’s continued expansion in breadth and cost, which has prompted reform proposals to rein in what many believe is unsustainable growth. Examining reform efforts in other states, Saucier cautions that we need to learn from these experiments. Finally, he raises important questions for policymakers related to MaineCare’s mission, its complexity, and the stability of its financing.
Mainecare—A Provider Prospective, Erik N. Steele
Mainecare—A Provider Prospective, Erik N. Steele
Maine Policy Review
Dr. Erik Steele in this commentary discusses MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) from a provider’s perspective. He suggests that delays and problems in the state’s reimbursement to providers have led to doubts about the state’s credibility both as a payer and as a health care systems change leader.
Solving Maine’S Health Care Crisis Requires “Tough Choices”, Wendy Wolf
Solving Maine’S Health Care Crisis Requires “Tough Choices”, Wendy Wolf
Maine Policy Review
Wendy Wolf’s commentary discusses the “tough choices” process which invited selected Maine citizens to participate in town hall meeting sessions to provide input on the state’s health plan. She notes that it was easier for participants to agree on health promotion and healthcare delivery processes than for them to make choices about how to pay for healthcare.
Rising Prescription Drug Costs: What Is Involved And What Can Be Done?, James Carroll
Rising Prescription Drug Costs: What Is Involved And What Can Be Done?, James Carroll
Maine Policy Review
The rapid rise of prescription drug costs in the United States has triggered heated debate at the federal and state levels about how to control costs and expand access for those in need. In part, the United States finds itself in this situation because, unlike most countries throughout the world, the federal government thus far has refused to exact federal price restrictions on pharmaceutical products. James Carroll argues that this has left each state in the difficult position of trying to leverage lower costs and expanded access for its citizens. In this article, Carroll provides an overview of these attempts, …
Dirigo Health: A Small Business Perspective, Deborah Cook
Dirigo Health: A Small Business Perspective, Deborah Cook
Maine Policy Review
In her commentary Deborah Cook, executive director of the Maine Small Business Alliance, discusses Dirigo Health from the viewpoint of small businesses, whose employees and families, along with the self-employed, represent the largest proportion of uninsured in Maine’s population. She notes that rising costs of health care and insurance are a major threat to the viability of small businesses.
The Challenge Of Preserving And Expanding Affordable Health Care In Maine, Wendy Wolf
The Challenge Of Preserving And Expanding Affordable Health Care In Maine, Wendy Wolf
Maine Policy Review
Maine’s health care system is in crisis. The state’s health care expenditures represent the third highest percentage of Gross Domestic Product in the nation; state health care spending is projected to top $11 billion per year, or $8,291 per person per year, over the next seven years; businesses in Maine pay 12-23% more for coverage than the national and New England state averages; and, the state’s uninsured and vulnerable populations continue to grow. In this article, Wendy Wolf charts the rising cost of health care in Maine and the implications of these costs for all Mainers. In turn, she looks …
The Changing Nature Of Long-Term Care In Maine, Paul Saucier, Julie Fralich
The Changing Nature Of Long-Term Care In Maine, Paul Saucier, Julie Fralich
Maine Policy Review
The increase in the proportion of older adults, many with one or more chronic medical conditions, will increase the demand for long-term care. Paul Saucier and Julie Fralich discuss the socio-demographic factors affecting long-term care policy, and describe various state and federal options for providing and financing long-term care. They note that Maine’s long-term care system has so far been able to absorb considerable growth in people by serving increasing numbers in lower-cost settings. Cost sharing has been introduced, and tax policy has been changed to provide incentives for long-term care insurance. Policymakers must now consider whether the current balance …
Dirigo Health, Sharon Anglin Treat, Michael Brennan, Ann Woloson
Dirigo Health, Sharon Anglin Treat, Michael Brennan, Ann Woloson
Maine Policy Review
Maine’s pioneering Dirigo Health program aims at reducing health care costs, improving quality, and increasing access by providing health insurance coverage to all of Maine’s currently uninsured population. State senators Sharon Treat and Michael Brennan and co-author Ann Woloson provide an overview of the components, structure and financing of the program. They discuss some of the challenges and opportunities posed in Dirigo Health’s implementation, and give an insider’s perspective on the process by which the program was enacted.
Dirigo Health: Its Opportunities And Obstacles, Godfrey Wood
Dirigo Health: Its Opportunities And Obstacles, Godfrey Wood
Maine Policy Review
No abstract provided.
Why More Is Required To Address Maine’S Childhood Lead-Poisoning Problem, David Littell
Why More Is Required To Address Maine’S Childhood Lead-Poisoning Problem, David Littell
Maine Policy Review
Although largely hidden from the public eye, childhood lead poisoning has been identified as one of Maine’s leading environmental health problems. Recent data show not only that lead-poisoning levels are unacceptably high among Maine’s children, but also that screening rates are lower than recommended by national health organizations and lower than in other New England states. David Littell discusses why childhood lead poisoning is such a problem in Maine and what can be done to remedy the situation, providing a thorough examination of how children are exposed to lead and the magnitude of the problem. He reviews the state’s existing …
New Health Care Help For Maine's Uninsured Children, Susan W. Longley
New Health Care Help For Maine's Uninsured Children, Susan W. Longley
Maine Policy Review
No abstract provided.
An Interview With David Peterson And David Jones: Envisioning The Future Of Rural Healthcare, David Peterson, David Jones
An Interview With David Peterson And David Jones: Envisioning The Future Of Rural Healthcare, David Peterson, David Jones
Maine Policy Review
Managed care and other healthcare changes may impact Maine differently than more urban states. Managed care companies, striving to create economies of scale in healthcare financing, often prefer to fold rural regions into larger plans that emanate from more populous hubs. In much of Maine, many question whether this will be best for the consumers and providers of rural healthcare. Maine Policy Review interviewed David Peterson, president and chief executive officer of The Aroostook Medical Center (TAMC), and family practitioner David Jones who practices at Aroostook Family Practice and is an active member of TAMC's medical staff, to obtain their …
An Interview With Norm Ledwin: Continuous Change In Healthcare Management, Norm Ledwin
An Interview With Norm Ledwin: Continuous Change In Healthcare Management, Norm Ledwin
Maine Policy Review
Managed care continues to enter Maine—a trend that alarms some and is welcomed by others. Norman Ledwin, president and chief executive officer of Eastern Maine Healthcare and Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMH/EMMC), believes managed care has the potential to greatly improve the state’s ability to provide high quality, economical healthcare for its citizens. In a December, 1995 interview with Maine Policy Review Ledwin discussed managed care as well as related healthcare changes underway in Maine.
Start Making Sense: A Legislator Looks At Professional Licensure Reform, Dale Mccormick
Start Making Sense: A Legislator Looks At Professional Licensure Reform, Dale Mccormick
Maine Policy Review
This past summer, the Maine Health Professions Regulation Project and its task force released a report to Governor King and the Maine legislature. The report, "Toward a More Rational State Licensure System for Maine’s Health Professions," represents the best thinking and accomplishments of a nearly two-year project directed by Judy Kany of Medical Care Development, Inc. Dale McCormick’s commentary addresses five aspects of this project: the approach of the task force, why licensure reform is necessary, the relationship between this project and the Maine Health Care Reform Commission, the report issued by the task force, and a brief review of …
An Interview With Commissioner Peet: Mental Health System Reform, Melodie Peet
An Interview With Commissioner Peet: Mental Health System Reform, Melodie Peet
Maine Policy Review
Commissioner of the Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Melodie Peet, stands at the center of a revolution in how mental health services are organized, administered, and delivered. Since February, 1995 Peet has been working with providers, families, and consumers throughout Maine to reinvent the state’s mental healthcare system from one that is dominated by state government and large institutions to one largely comprised of community-based systems of care. These changes match national trends yet have stirred great controversy in Maine. In an interview with Maine Policy Review, Commissioner Peet discussed the changing role and shape of …
Maine’S Gubernatorial Candidates Present Their Positions On Health Care Reform, Jonathan Carter, Susan Collins, Angus King
Maine’S Gubernatorial Candidates Present Their Positions On Health Care Reform, Jonathan Carter, Susan Collins, Angus King
Maine Policy Review
Few issues have dominated the public policy agenda in the last decade as health care reform has in 1994. Although health care reform is stalled in Congress at this writing, it is not an issue that will exit the public stage quickly or quietly. Mainefaces many of the problems that have spurred the national health care debate. The state has made some attempts to address these through public policy. But larger health care issues remain unresolved and the next governor will most certainly play a major role in addressing those issues. Maine Policy Review invited the four major candidates seeking …