LEWISTON (WGME) — Several health care initiatives aimed at assisting low-income individuals will be discontinued by Community Clinical Services. The organization cites delayed payments from the state and insufficient federal financial backing as reasons behind these program shutdowns.
Community Clinical Services plans to close its school clinics, pediatric dental office, and psychiatric as well as counseling services starting May 1st. According to them, the pediatric clinic operations will transition under the management of St. Mary’s Health System, but patient care at the Birch Street facility will still go on uninterrupted.
Ian Dow, who has been undergoing therapy with CCS since age 15, says the termination of services caught him off guard.
A significant part of my teen years was spent as a homeless person on Lewiston's streets. My therapist consistently encouraged me to seek out better opportunities," Dow stated. "The prospect of this happening is utterly heartbreaking.
On May 1, Dow’s access to his counselor and psychiatrist will end due to the closure of CCS.
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The state is facing an ongoing shortfall of $118 million in MaineCare financing, and as a result, payments to healthcare providers are being partly held back until this amount is covered.
Coleen Elias, the CEO of CCS, stated that the organization lacks the funds to continue offering all its services without certainty about the amount their upcoming reimbursement check will cover.
"We don’t have the cash reserves to sustain a long period of time without regular MaineCare payments," Elias said.
The shutdown is precisely what legislators cautioned against when emergency funds to cover the MaineCare shortfall were not approved.
"Due to this funding stagnating in Augusta without being able to move forward due to insufficient two-thirds support, we'll witness an increased number of individuals struggling," stated Senator Peggy Rotundo (D-Androscoggin).
Although the Birch Street health center will stay operational, CCS is shutting down its school-based clinics, which cater to Lewiston public schools.
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The conclusion of school services plays a vital role as it removes additional obstacles," stated Jake Langlais, superintendent of Lewiston. "If these services were absent, I believe it would disturb students and impair their capacity to concentrate on their studies.
People such as Dow are concerned that locating additional services will not be simple.
"It's a matter of waiting now. The issue is that I'm unclear about our available resources or what exactly I might discover," Dow stated.
Democrats passed a state budget This will finance MaineCare by late June, however, Republicans remain opposed, causing worry over potential overspending. The party is currently trying to people’s veto If the veto attempt gathers sufficient backing, it might push back MaineCare financing even later, possibly till November.