Lawmakers again reject proposal to create separate child welfare department

By: AnnMarie Hilton

Outlets: Maine Morning Star

Published: January 15, 2026

Words: 248

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 5 days ago

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Lawmakers on the Maine Legislature’s health committee are recommending the state keep working to improve the existing child welfare system, rather than establish a new department.

Currently, child welfare services are nested within the state Department of Health and Human Services. However, there have been multiple attempts to separate the entities.

Sen. Jeff Timberlake (R-Androscoggin), who has championed this idea for years as a way for the state to focus more specifically on …

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