Families, nurses concerned over end of Downeast maternal care

MAINE, USA — Maternal and child health nurses serving Hancock and Washington counties are raising concerns as a long-running program winds down.

Downeast Community Partners’ maternal and child health program will end Sept. 30, 2025, after the state decided not to continue contracts for nursing services outside Maine’s five southernmost counties. Aroostook County Action Program had hoped to continue the service, but the Maine Department of Health and Human Services limited its new request for proposals to York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford counties.

Families and nurses say the decision leaves a gap in care, particularly as more rural hospitals close labor and delivery units. 

“Families in Maine are losing an invaluable resource that supports healthy babies, stronger families, and more resilient communities,” Sarah Becker, a mother in Hancock County who received support after the birth of her youngest child, said.

The DCP program employed three full-time nurses and one per diem nurse, each with a full caseload. They worked alongside three public health nurses also serving the region. Jen Winter, the program’s nurse coordinator, said the reduction in staff raises concerns. 

“It may not be possible to provide families with the level of preventative education and support that is available through the current program,” she said.

Winter added that home visits and wraparound services—connecting families with heating assistance, food pantries, and other supports—were vital parts of the program. Last year, DCP nurses supported 234 participants. This year, they have already supported 199 families.

Maine DHHS said public health nurses will assume responsibility for services in October. The department noted its public health nurses are certified lactation consultants with training in complex cases and perinatal mood disorders. Officials say they are working with DCP to ensure a smooth transition.

Even so, families and nurses worry about capacity and what the changes will mean for parents. 

“This program was a lifeline,” Becker said. “It gave me access to care and resources I could not have secured on my own and provided reassurance during one of the most vulnerable times in a parent’s life.”

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