The Brunswick-based Merrymeeting Behavioral Health Associates notified town officials on Monday that it will be shuttering on April 22, leaving roughly 170 people without work.
In a letter to Brunswick Council Chairwoman Sarah Brayman and officials at the Bureau of Employment Standards and Department of Labor, Merrymeeting’s human resources director Kacie Parker, said the organization’s loss of MaineCare coverage directly contributed to the closing.
A March 22 letter from the state notified the organization that it would no longer provide coverage for over 80% of the community-based services the organization provides, according to the Bangor Daily News.
“Merrymeeting Behavioral Services is triggering alarm prior to gathering all of the facts or seeking help from the department,” Sheldon Wheeler, director of substance abuse and mental health services for the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement about the closure. “They are inflaming the situation by reaching out to the media before contacting the department about their concerns and how they feel these changes could disrupt the services they provide.”
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