Maine’s Adult Mental Health System Exits Court Oversight After 30 Years

On December 3, 2024, the Maine Superior Court dismissed the Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI) Consent Decree because the state was in substantial compliance with the latest standards set by a court legal decree in response to a 1990 class action lawsuit. The agreement in the AMHI Consent Decree granted the Maine Superior Court judicial oversight of the settlement agreement until the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) achieved substantial compliance with its terms. Terms of the decree required the state to fix the problems at AMHI and to establish and maintain a community mental health system responsive . . .