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Maine

Learn more about suicide and prevention efforts in Maine, including a list of laws enacted in AFSP's top priority areas. Updated: February 2024.

Maine suicide prevention plans and initiatives

Housed within the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), the Maine Suicide Prevention Program (MSPP) is a collaborative initiative among state and local partners committed to preventing suicide in Maine. MSPP aims to (1) provide statewide leadership and coordination for suicide prevention, (2) improve integration of effective suicide prevention efforts within public and private organizations statewide, (3) increase access to suicide prevention and intervention services in health care and behavioral health settings, and (4) educate professionals working with Maine people about suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.

Developed in collaboration with state and local partners that comprise the MSSP Advisory Council, in February 2021 the Maine Suicide Prevention Program Strategic Plan 2020-2025 was published as a “blueprint” for organizations that want to provide evidence-informed suicide prevention in local communities. 

Maine laws

Key:

  • Required by law
  • Encouraged by law
  • No law in place

Crisis lines and 988 implementation

  • Addresses 988 infrastructure and provides for telecom user fee
  • Addresses 988 infrastructure but does not include telecom user fee
  • 988 law limited to creating an exploratory commission, advisory committee, or task force

Mental health parity

  • Public health plans (e.g., Medicaid) regularly submit parity compliance analyses to state regulators
  • Private health plans (individual and group) regularly submit parity compliance analyses to state regulators

K – 12 school suicide prevention

  • Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
  • Student allowances for excused mental health absences
  • School personnel must report student suicide risk to a parent and/or guardian
  • Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, annual
  • Suicide prevention and/or mental health training for certain school personnel, not annual
  • Suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policies/programming
  • Student education on suicide prevention
  • Student education on mental health

Health professional training in suicide assessment, treatment and management

  • Mental health professionals receive regular training
  • Mental health professionals receive one time training
  • Medical/surgical professionals receive regular training
  • Medical/surgical professionals receive one time training

Conversion therapy bans

  • Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with minors under 18 years of age
  • Prohibits licensed/board certified mental health providers from engaging in conversion therapy with vulnerable adults
  • Prohibits use of state funds for any purpose related to conversion therapy (e.g., conducting, making a referral for, or extending health benefits coverage for)

University and college campus suicide prevention

  • Inclusion of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and/or other crisis line(s) on student ID cards
  • Students receive information on available mental health and/or suicide prevention services and/or resources
  • Adoption of suicide prevention/awareness policy or program

Advocate for suicide prevention

Learn how our volunteer Field Advocates are helping to pass suicide prevention legislation and policies that can save lives