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AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — New, stricter rules for determining who qualifies for intensive community mental health services are upsetting people who depend on the services.
About 300 people packed into six rooms at the Statehouse Friday to hear testimony about changes to Section 17 of the state's MaineCare Benefits Manual.
The state recently notified thousands of Mainers with mental illness that they may lose some benefits.
State officials say the program's enrollment has increased 50 percent in the past five years to accommodate people with less-severe diagnoses, such as depression and anxiety. The state intends to limit the program to people with more serious diagnoses, such as schizophrenia, and those who meet certain conditions, such as homelessness.
People affected by the changes are employing a seldom-used petition process to force legislative oversight.
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