Motivational Services Not Likely to Buy Homes on Former AMHI Campus – Forensic Patients Staying in Their Current Homes

Maine lawmakers basically killed the plan to move mental health patients who have committed violent criminal acts back near the old AMHI campus. That would have moved them out of residential neighborhoods around Augusta.

According to the Kennebec Journal, The decision came after the Department of Health and Human Services said it would still cost the state at least $2 million a year to care for the 16 patients.  Even though AMHI is closed, those old 'doctors' houses' are still considered by the federal government to be on the grounds of a mental health facility. So, even if Maine sold the homes to Motivational Services and they were the owners of those buildings, the patients living there would not be eligible for their federal benefits, as they are now in other homes in the community.  However, move those same patients to buildings owned by Motivational Services a half mile away and those patients are eligible for their benefits.

There are community concerns in Augusta about the forensic patients living in the community in those group homes.