Chairs of Health and Human Services Committee release joint statement on recent child deaths in Maine

AUGUSTA – In response to the deaths of four young children in the past month and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ announcement Thursday that it will be investigating these incidents with the assistance of Casey Family Programs, the chairs of the Legislature’s Heath and Human Services Committee, Sen. Ned Claxton, D-Auburn, and Rep. Michele Meyer, D-Eliot, have released the following joint statement: 

“Our hearts are heavy with the recent news of yet another young child tragically losing their life. After four deaths of Maine children four years old and younger this month, we agree with Commissioner Lambrew that this is a call to action. The first question to ask is: ‘How could these losses have been prevented?’ It is our shared responsibility to find ways our state can improve the safety and well-being of Maine’s children and best work proactively to prevent these kinds of tragedies. 

“We strongly support the decision by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to internally investigate the circumstances that led to these children’s deaths, evaluate existing child safety policies and develop policy recommendations for the Legislature’s future consideration. The involvement of an independent review process is also welcome. As chairs of the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, we already had planned to convene in September to consider a report concerning child poverty unavailable to the committee while in session. Given the loss of these children, we will use that time to focus as well on a review of the findings from the department and Casey Family Programs and to look for ways we can better protect children in Maine now and for years to come.”