Maine covers 30,862 square miles, with a 2010 estimated population of 1,328,361 people – with 552,638 people living in rural Maine (USDA-ERS). Augusta is the state capital. The state’s largest cities are Portland, Lewiston and Bangor. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 95.2% of the state’s population is white, 1.2% is Black/African-American, and 1.3% is of Hispanic/Latino origin (2010).
There are 39 hospitals in Maine, 24 of which are located in rural areas (Maine State Office of Rural Health, 2010). The state has 15 hospitals identified by the Flex Monitoring Team as Critical Access Hospitals (Sept. 2010). There are 39 Rural Health Clinics in Maine (Kaiser, 2012), and 18 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at over 127 sites in the state (Kaiser, 2010). 10.0% of Maine residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2008-2009).
According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for Maine residents in 2009 was $36,547, although rural per-capita income lagged at $32,913. Estimates from 2010 indicate a poverty rate of 14.5% exists in rural Maine, compared to 12.0% in urban areas of the state. 2010 ACS data reports that 11.6% of the rural population has not completed high school, compared to 9.3% of urban populations. The unemployment rate in rural Maine is 9.0%, while in urban Maine it is 7.3% (USDA-ERS, 2010).
For a national comparison, please see an overview of the United States.
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts; USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets; North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center; Maine Office of Rural Health and Primary Care; Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List
Organizations
HUD Community Development Block Grants: Maine
Federal government
Contact information for the State CDBG program. Provides funding for community development projects.
Maine Area Health Education Center Network (AHEC)
State/regional organization
Works to alleviate health workforce shortages in rural and underserved areas of the state.
Maine Child Support
State government
Is responsible for the development and implementation of the rules, regulations, policies and procedures necessary to assure that all non-custodial parents are contributing to the economic support of their children.
Maine Community Action Association
State/regional organization
Provides local organization to efforts which empower low income people to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.
Maine Department of Health and Human Services
State government
Mission is to provide health and human services to the people of Maine so that all persons may achieve and maintain their optimal level of health
Maine Department of Health and Human Services: Office of Multicultural Affairs
State government
A resource to all state agencies and to all communities served to improve services to minority and multicultural populations in the state of Maine.
Maine Hospital Association (MHA)
State/regional organization
Is the primary advocate for hospitals in the Maine State Legislature, the U.S. Congress and state and federal regulatory agencies. It also provides educational services and serves as a clearinghouse for comprehensive information for its hospital members, lawmakers and the public.
Maine Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
State government
Manages health personnel recruitment and retention programs and provides technical assistance for communities to receive grants that benefit health care and rural areas; facilitates communication on rural health issues among providers, consumers and government programs.
Maine Primary Care Association (MPCA)
State/regional organization
They are the membership organization for the primary care safety net in Maine. These include the state's Federally Qualified Health Centers, Indian Health Centers, and allied providers of care for the underserved.
Maine Regional Extension Center (MEREC)
State/regional organization
Maine State Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (REC) that helps health care providers become meaningful users of electronic health records by providing information and technical assistance.
Maine Rural Health Research Center (MRHC)
Academic/Research
One of nine Rural Health Research Centers currently funded by the Office of Rural Health Policy. Works to inform health care policymaking and the delivery of rural health services, focusing on rural health care financing and system reform, rural long term care, and rural mental health.
Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Academic/Research
Conducts research and policy analysis to identify and promote solutions to complex health care challenges.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine, New England Region (NN/LM-NER)
State/regional organization
Supports collaboration among 16 regional libraries and over 500 library and information centers in the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
New England Rural Health RoundTable (NERHRT)
Nonprofit/Foundation
Composed of a diverse group of individuals and organizations committed to improving health and health care throughout rural New England communities. Serves as a regional rural health advocate for Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD)
State/regional organization
One of four regional rural development centers in the nation. Focuses on rural issues including community and economic development, food systems, natural resources, and entrepreneurship. Serves a 12 state area in the Northeast region which includes CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY, RI, PA, WV, NH, ME, MD, VT.
Resources for Communities and People Solutions
State/regional organization
Helps support rural community infrastructure in the northeastern United States.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Maine (HUD)
Federal government
Works to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing. The HUD state office provides information about HUD housing programs and local contacts for the state.
University of Maine Center on Aging
Academic/Research
The Center on Aging is a university-wide, interdisciplinary center specializing in aging education, research and community service.
USDA Rural Development Maine State Office
Federal government
Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. The Rural Development State Office provides information about Rural Development programs and applications for financial assistance.
Tools
ERS State Fact Sheet: Maine
Web site
Lists statistics on population, educational attainment, employment, income, farm characteristics, and farm financial indicators for the state.
Maine AgrAbility
Web site
Helps Maine farmers with chronic health conditions and disabilities gain more control over their lives, continue to farm successfully, and live independently.
Maine Health Centers Data
Web site
Provides access to information on Federally Qualified Health Centers for the state. Includes a map of FQHC locations, as well as information on the populations served by health centers, services provided, staff, patient visits, costs of care, and use of electronic health information.
Maine KIDS COUNT Data Center (KCDC)
Web site
Provides data on child well-being for the state.
Maine QuickFacts
Web site
Basic demographic and economic statistics for the state, with links to county-level data.
Maine State Health Facts
Database
The latest state-level data on demographics, health, and health policy, including health coverage, access, financing, and state legislation. Individual state profiles and 50-state comparisons.
National Healthcare Quality Report State Snapshot: Maine
Web site
Health care quality report for the state, based on the National Healthcare Quality Report.
NN/LM New England Region: Maine Resources
Web site
Overview of the state and provides links to state agencies, health associations, and other resources for residents of Maine.
See also: Resources for All States: Tools Funding
BJ’s Charitable Foundation
Funding for safety, security and well-being of children and families, education and health programs, community service opportunities, and hunger and disaster relief.
Gannett Foundation Community Action Grants
Community action grant priorities include education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation and cultural enrichment.
New England Region AIDS Education and Training Center Program(s) (AETC)
Funding to improve healthcare and health outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Inactive Funding
Inactive Funding Opportunities -
Lists additional funding programs for this state that are not currently accepting applications. Programs that are inactive may be offered again in the future.
Documents, Reports and Other Publications
Analysis of Emergency Department Use in Maine
Author(s): Beth Kilbreth, Barbara Shaw, Danielle Westcott, Carolyn Gray
Sponsoring organization: Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Analyzes emergency department (ED) utilization; identifies factors that can explain the reasons for high or low ED; and analyzes hospital discharge data to identify potentially preventable ED visits, most frequently seen diagnoses, and the correlation between the physician-to-population ration and ED use rates. Includes findings specific to both urban and rural areas of Maine.
Date: 01 / 2010
Campaign to Promote Food Security in Cumberland County: Coalition Report 2010
Sponsoring organization: Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Provides recommendations for food system reform with a goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating food insecurity in Cumberland County, Maine.
Date: 12 / 2010
Changing Faces of New England: Increasing Spatial and Racial Diversity
Author(s): Keneth M. Johnson
Sponsoring organization: Carsey Institute
Discusses racial diversity in New England. Includes information about rural or Nonmetropolitan New England.
Date: 2008
Connecting the Dots: A Guide for Connecting with Your Department of Transportation
Author(s): David Cole
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Development Organizations
Presents methods for problem solving, building stronger state and local partnerships, and understanding the unique opportunities that transportation and economic development projects bring to rural regions and communities. Describes programs and partnerships established by the Maine Department of Transportation.
Date: 09 / 2011
Demographic and Economic Profile: Maine
Author(s): Kathleen K. Miller
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
Discusses demographic and economic data including population, race, education, age, poverty, income, and more. Includes maps and graphics.
Date: 10 / 2008
Expanding College and Job-Skills Opportunities in Western Maine
Author(s): Betsy Rubiner
Sponsoring organization: Annie E. Casey Foundation
Reports that in Franklin County, Maine, a group of local leaders has brought community college classes and jobs skills training to their area, giving residents new opportunities to qualify for good jobs and higher expectations for their futures
Date: 2008
Hospital Performance Measurement in Rural New England: Recommendations for Improvement
Sponsoring organization: New England Rural Health RoundTable
Serves as the foundation for developing a set of useful quality indicators and measures that Critical Access Hospitals in New England can use.
Date: 03 / 2010
Housing and Service Options for Older Adults in Maine
Author(s): Julie Fralich, Kate Maggioncalda
Sponsoring organization: Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Compares Maine with the national trends and provides suggestions for how individuals, communities and policymakers can make a difference in assuring affordable, accessible and available housing and services.
Date: 09 / 2006
Maine's Aging Economy and the Economy of Aging
Author(s): Charles S. Colgan
Sponsoring organization: Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Explores the demographics of aging in Maine and the some of the important relationships between these trends and the economy. The author addresses the issue of how the older population in Maine will change over the next 20 years, and examines how changes in the economy will affect the aging population and vice versa, in particular relating to the question of how the aging population will relate to the workforce.
Date: 09 / 2006
Maine's Rural Health Challenges
Author(s): Jennifer D. Lenardson, David Hartley
Sponsoring organization: Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Describes the issues affecting access to health care in rural Maine which includes: the use of enhanced Medicare and Medicaid payments to support the rural health infrastructure, the adequacy of the provider workforce, the contribution of health care to the rural economy, and the high prevalence and unmet need for care for persons with substance use and mental health issues.
Date: 01 / 2007
Maine: Local Efforts Shape Statewide RHIO
Author(s): Chuck Appleby
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
Describes a health care network in Central Maine that is implementing an electronic medical record (EMR).
Journal citation: H&HN's Most Wired Magazine
Date: 11 / 2006
Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Maine
Author(s): David Lambert, Michael Brennan
Sponsoring organization: Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Discusses Maine's mental health system. Describes how Maine provides mental health services, while providing other health care services under MaineCare.
Date: 01 / 2007
Ocean Views: Coastal Environmental Problems as Seen by Downeast Maine Residents
Author(s): Thomas G. Safford, Lawrence C. Hamilton
Sponsoring organization: Carsey Institute
Loss of fishing jobs and income is an environment-related concern among residents of Maine counties.
Date: 2010
Oral Health: Preventing Cavities, Gum Disease, and Tooth Loss Success Stories, 2011
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Describes successful oral health programs in Maine, New York, and North Dakota involving dental sealants, water fluoridation, and state policies respectively.
Date: 2011
Plan for Improving Rural Health in Maine
Sponsoring organization: Maine Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
Focuses on building sustainable rural health systems that can improve rural health care in Maine.
Date: 10 / 2008
Policy Issues Affecting Maine’s Hospitals
Author(s): John A. Gale, Jennifer D. Lenardson
Sponsoring organization: Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Health Policy
Describes the distribution of hospitals in Maine and the challenges for those hospitals stemming from federal and state regulations, trends in physician practice, and emerging payment models.
Date: 01 / 2009
Rural Dental Practice: A Tale of Four States
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Denise M. Lishner, L. Gary Hart
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Reports the findings of a study investigating rural dentist issues, such as: demography, training, practice characteristics, staff, and job satisfaction in Alabama, California, Maine, and Missouri.
Date: 03 / 2006
ScoreHealth: Decades-old Program Brings Preventative Services to Rural Maine and Elsewhere
Sponsoring organization: Rural Assistance Center
Highlights Healthy Community Coalition, and ScoreHealth, community-based organizations developed for rural residents in Franklin County, Maine.
Journal citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02 / 2008
Small Business Profile: Maine
Sponsoring organization: Small Business Administration
Profile of the state's economy, covering the number of firms, industry composition, small business income, banking, women and minority business ownership, and employment.
Date: 02 / 2011
Telling Their Stories: Women Business Owners in Western Maine
Author(s): Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
Describes the entrepreneurship and businesses of 14 women business owners in rural communities in Western Maine.
Date: 2006
See also: Resources for All States: Documents Success Stories
EMS Co-op Helps Rural Providers
Using the power of group purchasing within a cooperative structure, the North Central EMS Cooperative (NCEMSC) is an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) cooperative developed to serve Minnesota and surrounding states.
Outreach Rural Health for Rural Maine
This project was designed to expand home care services for patients with anxiety and depression in the easternmost counties of the United States — Aroostook County and Washington County.
Rural Maine Healthy Aging Program
The main goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive medical and social service resource for the area's aging population.
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