On November 23, 2025, The U.S. District Court for the District of Maine rejected a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the State of Maine to weaken a settlement protecting the state’s youth behavioral-health system and the rights of children with disabilities. The settlement was the result of DOJ findings that Maine has failed to uphold the rights of children with disabilities as required by federal law.
CPR, with coalition partners at the ACLU of Maine, Disability Rights Maine, and GLAD Law, had urged the Court to reject the proposed modifications, which could have led to cascading, negative consequences for children and families in Maine. Proposed changes included limiting families’ access to information about new community service options, preventing timely clinical assessments and transition planning for justice-involved youth, and eliminating key safeguards in place to monitor their receipt of integrated services under the Agreement. The Coalition remains committed to ensuring that Maine’s children receive the benefits to which they are entitled under the Settlement Agreement, including the services necessary to effectively treat them in their homes and communities.
The Coalition’s recent press release can be found here.