Health System with 2 hospitals across 1 state
| Health System | Maine Department of Health and Human Services |
|---|---|
| Total Hospitals | 2 |
| Commercial/Acute Hospitals | 0 |
| Total Beds | 192 |
| Commercial/Acute Beds | 0 |
| Headquarters | Bangor, ME |
| Website | maine.gov/dhhs |
| Hospital | Type | Beds | Teaching | Recently Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center | Psychiatric | 100 | No | No |
| Riverview Psychiatric Center | Psychiatric | 92 | No | No |
Maine native. Sworn in as Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services on October 15, 2024, following bipartisan confirmation by the Maine Senate on October 10. Served in an Acting capacity for the Department since June 1, 2024, and before that was a Deputy Commissioner for DHHS for five years, from 2019-2024. As Commissioner, she leads the largest agency in state government, which provides health care and social services to approximately a third of the state's population. Prior to joining the Department, Gagné-Holmes was a senior program associate with the John T. Gorman Foundation. She was also the executive director of a statewide, nonprofit civil legal aid and advocacy organization for eight years. Gagné-Holmes' experience additionally includes serving in Gov. John Baldacci's administration as the Deputy Legal Counsel and a Senior Policy and Legal Adviser in the Office of Health Policy and Finance, working as a private attorney focused on health care law, clerking for the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, and owning and operating a café. Gagné-Holmes graduated from Bowdoin College and from the University of Maine School of Law.
Bethany Hamm is the Deputy Commissioner at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), appointed in March 2019. She has a long history with the department, serving for over 30 years in various roles, including Acting Commissioner from August 2018. Before that, she was the Director of the Office for Family Independence (OFI) for nearly five years, where she oversaw public welfare programs such as TANF, Medicaid eligibility, SNAP, Disability Determination Services, and Child Support Enforcement. Hamm is recognized for her efforts in developing policies and partnerships to promote economic stability and reduce dependence on public assistance.
Benjamin Mann is the Deputy Commissioner of Finance at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). He has served in this role since August 2019. In this position, he is responsible for overseeing the Department's budget, which is nearly $3 billion over the biennium, as well as contract management, audit, administration and facilities, and information technology. He has played a central role in financial matters for the DHHS. Mann holds a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University and completed his undergraduate education at Colgate University. He is also the finance chair of the Maine Recovery Council, which is tasked with distributing a portion of Maine's opioid settlement funds.
Started as Deputy Commissioner in Oct. 2024. Previously Director of Government Relations at Maine DHHS from Jan. 2019-Oct. 2024. Education includes a Bachelor's from Susquehanna University.
Carolyn Dimek, RN, MS, is the Superintendent of Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Her career in nursing has included a variety of roles, such as positions in Long Term Care/Skilled Nursing Facilities, Acute Psychiatric Care, Recruitment and Retention, Risk Management, Infection Control/Employee Health, and Assistant Director of Nursing. She has also worked as a CNA Instructor and a Clinical Nursing Instructor at the University of Maine Orono. Carolyn Dimek received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science.
Stephanie George-Roy, LCSW, is the Superintendent of Riverview Psychiatric Center within the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Her professional career began in Boston at Vinfen Corporation, a community mental health provider. There, she held various roles, including Director of a Young Adult Supported Apartment Treatment Program and three residential community living programs. She returned to Maine in 2000. She has also held the position of Deputy Superintendent at Riverview Psychiatric Center.
Bobbi Johnson is the Director of the Office of Child & Family Services at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). She was appointed to this permanent role in January 2024 after serving as acting director since November 2023. Johnson is a veteran of the department, having worked there for nearly 30 years. She began her career as a caseworker in 1995 and previously served as the state's associate director of child welfare services. Her appointment was supported by those who felt the role needed a leader with firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by caseworkers and families in distress. Johnson is tasked with leading reforms within the child welfare system, including a rapid management audit.
Bill Montejo, RN, is the Director of the Division of Licensing and Certification at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, a role he has held since 2019. He has been with the Division since 2008 and previously served as the Assistant Director and Manager for the Medical Facilities Unit, where he was responsible for state licensure and federal survey and certification for medical facilities. Mr. Montejo is a Registered Nurse and holds undergraduate degrees in both Nursing and Health Care Administration. His professional background also includes experience as an ER Nurse, a State of Maine EMS Licensing Agent, and a Paramedic/Firefighter. He has also worked extensively with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Ian Yaffe is the Director of the Office for Family Independence at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). He assumed this role effective October 30, 2023. Prior to this, he served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Maine DHHS, a position he started in January 2023. Before becoming Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Yaffe was the Director of the Office of Population Health Equity at the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) from October 2021 to January 2023. In this role, he was involved in addressing health disparities and implementing a grant to reduce them. From March to September 2021, he was the Chief Operating Officer of DHHS' COVID-19 Social Supports. Before joining the Maine DHHS, Yaffe spent eleven years as the Executive Director of Mano en Mano, a non-profit organization in Washington County that provides support to immigrant and farmworker communities. Yaffe is also a Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. He holds an undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College and a master's degree from the University of Washington.
Michelle Probert is the Director of the Office of MaineCare Services at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), a position she has held since early 2019. In this role, she oversees Maine's Medicaid program, which provides healthcare coverage to over 360,000 residents. Prior to her current role, Probert worked at Bath Iron Works starting in 2014 as the manager of integrated health services, responsible for employee health, wellness, and benefits. She also has previous experience with MaineCare, having served as the director of strategic initiatives for the program from 2011 to 2014. During this earlier tenure, she was involved in establishing the Department's Value-Based Purchasing programs, including a Medicaid Shared Savings ACO initiative. Before her work in Maine state government and at Bath Iron Works, Probert worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where she focused on reforming reimbursement and contracting for health and human services. Early in her career, she was a family advocate for homeless families. Michelle Probert holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. She has also served on the board of the Maine Health Access Foundation and as chairwoman of the Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine.
Paul Saucier is the Director of the Maine DHHS Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS). In this role, he is responsible for administering Older Americans Act programs, long-term services and supports for adults of all ages and disabilities, and Maine's Adult Protective Services Program. Prior to leading OADS, Saucier served as a Senior Director at IBM Watson Health, specializing in integrated care models for older adults and individuals with disabilities. His extensive background in aging and disability policy, research, and program design, spanning over 20 years, also includes positions at the USM Muskie School of Public Service, the National Academy for State Health Policy, and the Maine Legislature's Office of Policy and Legal Analysis. He holds a Master's degree in Public Policy and Management from the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern Maine and a Bachelor's degree from Cornell University.
Hilary Schneider is the Director of the Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), a position she began on September 25, 2023. She was selected for this role based on her health policy expertise, leadership skills, and knowledge of connecting Maine residents with affordable health care. Before leading the Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace, which runs Maine's CoverME.gov, Schneider was the Government Relations Director for Maine at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, where she had worked since 2010. Her previous experience also includes working at Consumers for Affordable Health Care and Health Dialog, a healthcare management and analytics company in Portland. Schneider holds a master's degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a bachelor's degree in economics from Bates College. She has nearly 20 years of experience working in Maine with policymakers and partners to improve health coverage options.
Sarah Squirrell is the Director of the Office of Behavioral Health at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). She became Acting Director on April 19, 2022, and later assumed the role of Director in November 2022. Prior to this, she worked in the Commissioner's Office at Maine DHHS starting in September 2021, focusing on developing a plan to increase school-based health services with an emphasis on behavioral health. Before joining Maine DHHS, Squirrell served as the Commissioner of Mental Health for the State of Vermont from January 2019 to June 2021. In this role, she developed a strategic plan for the state's mental health system, oversaw two state facilities, and implemented behavioral health initiatives, including responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. She managed a department with 260 employees and a budget of $280 million. Her background also includes leading non-profit organizations focused on early childhood education and mental health. She holds a Master of Science degree in community mental health and clinical counseling.
Dr. Puthiery Va is the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), appointed in August 2023. She holds a medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board certified in internal medicine. With over a decade of experience in primary care and epidemiology, Dr. Va's background includes serving as Chief Medical Resident at Jacobi Medical Center in New York and as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the U.S. CDC. Before joining the Maine CDC, she was the Director of Public Health for the Indian Health Service's Navajo Area, where she led the COVID-19 response. Dr. Va also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso. Born in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand, she and her family later immigrated to the United States.