Some Maine Families Face Loss of Key Maternal Health Services

Parents in Downeast Maine will soon need to look elsewhere for maternal and child health support.

According to WABI TV 5,  Downeast Community Partners (DCP) has announced it will end its Maternal and Child Health Program on September 30, 2025. The change comes after the State of Maine decided not to renew contracts for maternal and child health nursing services in most counties, except for the state’s five southernmost regions: York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford.

For the past eight years, DCP has offered these services in Washington and Hancock Counties through state funding. The nonprofit emphasizes that this decision is not tied to its new partnership with the Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP), which had hoped to continue the program, the news station reported.

The program’s closure is raising concerns for both families and nurses who have relied on it for decades. Many worry about the loss of vital services for new mothers and infants, especially as more rural Maine hospitals close their labor and delivery units, leaving fewer options for care in Downeast communities.

“I am deeply saddened to know this program is being discontinued. Families in Maine are losing an invaluable resource that supports healthy babies, stronger families, and more resilient communities,” Sarah Becker, a recent program participant in Hancock County, told WABI in part.

With the program’s end approaching, questions remain about how new and expecting parents in Downeast Maine will access the support they need.