Governor Mills Announces Successful Resolution of 34-Year-Old AMHI Consent Decree

Dismissal by Maine Superior Court of Consent Decree follows finding that State of Maine has achieved substantial compliance to improve mental health services

Governor Janet Mills announced today that the Maine Superior Court has dismissed the Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI) Consent Decree, marking a significant and successful resolution to the judicial system's longstanding legal oversight of Maine's community mental health system.

The 34-year-old Consent Decree was the result of a 1990 class action lawsuit brought on behalf of residents of the former AMHI following the deaths of 10 hospital residents. The legally binding agreement required the State to rectify problems at AMHI and over time establish and maintain a community mental health system responsive to the needs and rights of individual consumers.

The dismissal today comes after the Court Master, former Maine Supreme Court Chief Justice Daniel Wathen, informed the Court in October that the State of Maine had achieved substantial compliance with established standards focused on timely access to mental health services, increased quality of care, and monitoring of the system of care. In February 2021, the Governor announced that her Administration had reached a landmark agreement charting a path towards ending the Consent Decree.

The dismissal of the 1990 complaint and conclusion to the Consent Decree highlights the significant investments and improvements in Maine's system of care by the Governor and the Legislature.

"The creation of the AMHI Consent Decree more than three decades ago marked the beginning of a long and necessary process to improve Maine's mental health system -- a process that my Administration and the Legislature have worked hard to continue over these past six years," said Governor Janet Mills. "The Consent Decree has touched the lives of countless Maine people, from the original plaintiffs and their loved ones to those in need of quality care over the subsequent decades. While our work is not done, I welcome the successful resolution of the Consent Decree, and I remember the ten people who lost their lives those many years ago. I think of their families and loved ones, and I think of the many people across Maine who continue to need mental health services. I am proud of this accomplishment and am grateful to the partners who worked with my Administration to achieve it. We remain committed to continuing to strengthen our mental health system in the years to come."

"The end of the AMHI Consent Decree underscores the Department's commitment to advancing a mental health system of care that better meets the need of the people of Maine," said Sara Gagné-Holmes, Commissioner for Maine's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). "Additionally, the Department recognizes and values the role of advocacy organizations and consumers in ensuring a strong and accountable system of care."

"This milestone underscores DHHS's dedication to accountability, elevated standards, and expanded access, guided by improved data," said Daniel Wathen, Former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and Court Master to the mental health consent decree. "The significant progress achieved since 1990, particularly in recent years, reflects the strength of collaboration among advocates, the Consumer Council, and the administration, creating a strong foundation for sustaining progress and driving future advancements."

The successful resolution of the Consent Decree follows years of work and investments by the Mills Administration and the Legislature to strengthen behavioral health services across the state. The Administration and the Legislature have invested $260 million to increase accessibility, availability, quality, and consistency of behavioral health services in recent years.

Policies, practices, and system enhancements implemented by DHHS and its Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) showcase the progress and impact achieved in the adult community mental health system since the Consent Decree was established. These include, but are not limited to:

- Access to Community Based Services: As a result of OBH improvements to access for Community Integration (CI) services, the number of people able to receive an in-person assessment for community integration within seven business days has increased by 32 percent since July 2021.

- Medication Management: Thanks to recent investments by the Governor and Legislature, OBH has increased access to medication management and support provider recruitment and retention. In 2021, on average 70 percent of individuals discharged from a state psychiatric hospital were able to access medication management within 14 days. By 2024, that increased to an average of 82 percent.

- Maine Crisis Line Call Response: In 2021, 85 percent of calls on average were answered in 10 seconds or less. By 2024, 95 percent of calls were answered in 10 seconds or less.

- Mobile Crisis Response Times: Since July of 2021, mobile crisis providers responded to more than 19,000 crisis events in two hours or less. The percent of crisis calls that are responded to by a mobile crisis provider within two hours has increased from an average of 78 percent in 2021 to an average of 94 percent in 2024.

- SAMHSA Uniform Reporting System (URS) Data: According to the 2024 Consumer Satisfaction Survey, 90 percent of MaineCare members surveyed reported positive feelings or satisfaction about the quality and appropriateness of services received.

Under the Mills Administration, DHHS remains committed to strengthening Maine's mental health system.