Maine Coalition for Housing and Quality Services
Meeting Agenda
March 9, 2026 12:00-2:00pm
Meeting participants can connect to the meeting via Zoom in their homes or offices as applicable.
You can obtain the Zoom link by contacting Vickey Merrill at least two hours prior to the start of the meeting at [email protected].
Meeting Agenda
March 9, 2026 12:00-2:00pm
Meeting participants can connect to the meeting via Zoom in their homes or offices as applicable.
You can obtain the Zoom link by contacting Vickey Merrill at least two hours prior to the start of the meeting at [email protected].
1. 12:00pm – Welcome
The Coalition is designed to be an open and inclusive clearinghouse of information. All are welcome.
This meeting will continue a broad discussion, including context, of how we came to this crisis of current and impending waitlists for services and lack of affordable supportive housing in Maine, and what parents, relatives, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, advocates, service providers, DHHS, Special Education, and the experts on Transition can and are doing about it. The major focus will be information sharing and discussion about services that work, housing, transition, employment, the state and federal budgets, advocacy, and resources. This meeting will also focus on seeing through the implementation of a Continuum of Care and Blueprint for Effective Transition so that housing and service needs are met for everyone, and true community inclusion occurs.
2. Review agenda, review/accept minutes, introductions
3. Next steps for the Coalition
4. Featured Speaker: Laura Cordes, Executive Director, Maine Association of Community Service Providers (MACSP). Topic: An overview of legislation in the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
5. Brief Updates on the following:
a. Services:
b. Advocacy:
c. Housing and Federal Funding
d. State Legislature – MACSP and Legislators in attendance – any additional updates
e. Other business:
Next meeting: April 13, 2026
12:00-2:00pm
Featured Speaker and Topic: TBD.
*Until further notice meetings will be held solely via Zoom*
The Maine Coalition for Housing and Quality Services provides equal opportunity for meeting participation. If you wish to attend but require an interpreter or other accommodation, please forward your request two weeks prior to the monthly meeting to [email protected].
The Coalition is designed to be an open and inclusive clearinghouse of information. All are welcome.
This meeting will continue a broad discussion, including context, of how we came to this crisis of current and impending waitlists for services and lack of affordable supportive housing in Maine, and what parents, relatives, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, advocates, service providers, DHHS, Special Education, and the experts on Transition can and are doing about it. The major focus will be information sharing and discussion about services that work, housing, transition, employment, the state and federal budgets, advocacy, and resources. This meeting will also focus on seeing through the implementation of a Continuum of Care and Blueprint for Effective Transition so that housing and service needs are met for everyone, and true community inclusion occurs.
2. Review agenda, review/accept minutes, introductions
3. Next steps for the Coalition
4. Featured Speaker: Laura Cordes, Executive Director, Maine Association of Community Service Providers (MACSP). Topic: An overview of legislation in the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
5. Brief Updates on the following:
a. Services:
- DHHS, Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) – Derek Fales
- DHHS, Children’s Behavioral Health Services, Office of Behavioral Health (OBH)
- DOL, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation – Libby Stone-Sterling
- DOE, Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education (OSSIE) – Sandy Flacke and/or Tracy Whitlock
b. Advocacy:
- Disability Rights Maine (DRM) – Lucas Cuellar and/or Staci Converse
c. Housing and Federal Funding
- Federal funding update
- Section 8 Update
- HUD Section 811 Update
d. State Legislature – MACSP and Legislators in attendance – any additional updates
e. Other business:
- Coalition Website Update – www.maineparentcoalition.org
- Other updates, announcements, and Agenda for next Coalition meeting
Next meeting: April 13, 2026
12:00-2:00pm
Featured Speaker and Topic: TBD.
*Until further notice meetings will be held solely via Zoom*
The Maine Coalition for Housing and Quality Services provides equal opportunity for meeting participation. If you wish to attend but require an interpreter or other accommodation, please forward your request two weeks prior to the monthly meeting to [email protected].