Maine DHHS Announces That Office Of Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Will Be Renamed To Office Of Behavioral Health

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services will be renamed to the Office of Behavioral Health. The name change reflects an evolving understanding of the underlying causes of addiction disorders and recognizes that individuals facing addiction often require and benefit from mental health services. The term "behavioral health" captures this, encompassing a continuum of services ranging from prevention, early intervention, treatment, and crisis care to recovery. It also moves away from the more stigmatizing term "substance abuse," which fails to adequately convey the disorder as a medical . . .