Governor signs anti-drug bill LD 1537 into law

01/19/2016 02:35 PM EST

Upon delivery to his desk of LD 1537 today, Governor Paul R. LePage immediately signed the anti-drug bill, LD 1537, into law.

"I'm pleased the House and Senate incorporated the common-sense recommendations of the minority report," said Governor LePage. "I had expressed concerns about funding sources and the grant-making authority, but I thank legislative leadership for their willingness to broker changes that both the administration and the legislature could support. To be clear, this bill is just the first step in a process that needs a much more comprehensive approach."

Maine Forestry Service Offers Webinar - Ecology and Identification of Common Northeastern Conifers

Are you interested in learning more about Maine's forests and landscapes?
This interesting webinar, offered by the Maine Forestry Service will help you learn about the many varieties of Common Northeastern Conifers (trees that have cones or cone shaped seed pods).
GREAT information for ecology minded people, people interested in furthering their education on Maine woodlots and woodlands.
Be sure to register early, while space is unlimited, a registration ID is required to participate!!

Wednesday January 20, 2016 at 12:00 pm 

Conifer trees are a common feature of woodlots, forests and landscapes.  The value and qualities of trees are determined in part by the type of tree.  Knowing the principles of tree identification will help owners appreciate the value of trees and the types of benefits those trees might provide. This presentation will cover the core principles of tree identification, including how to use twigs, buds, bark, fruit (cones), growth habit, habitat (and even leaves) for identification.  Knowledge of these principles will help participants learn how to identify a wide range of trees.  Several common trees will be used to illustrate the principles. Presented by Dr. Peter Smallidge, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University.

SAF CFE credits have been requested or have been approved. 

If you have not previously joined a webinar, you should evaluate your connection with a test meeting here http://www.webex.com/test-meeting.html

If you have trouble registering or connecting please contact Cisco WebEx technical support at 1-866-229-3239 (U.S. and Canada Toll-Free; 24/7). 

Instructions:

1. Read all these instructions.
2. You need a personal registration ID to join this month’s webinar.  There is unlimited space for participants, the ID simply provides you the necessary access code.  Obtain your registration ID via:   https://cornell.webex.com/cornell/onstage/g.php?MTID=e6d63bfb75084a897b3ecebc0d920c792 If prompted for a password, use            C0rne11F0rest      (the word “CornellForest” except the o = zero= 0 and L = the number 1; the numbers are in red font).
3. On the webpage where the above link takes you, look for the option to “register” to receive your “registration id” number.  Note this page also includes the option to download resources related to this webinar (if available).
4. Wait for the email that contains your personal “registration id” number (a couple minutes at most usually).
5. Pasted below is an example of the email you will receive after following the preceding steps.
6. As illustrated in my example below, join the webinar via the “click here” button to open into your default web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Firefox).  The “click here” button should open into the webinar, or display a page indicating the webinar is not active.  If the webinar is not active, that means the host isn’t connected and you will need to wait until the host connects.  If the page opens into a rather generic “Cisco WebEx” page then your browser may not be compatible with WebEx and you should copy and paste the full link (see example below, it follows “click here”) into an alternate web browser.  Using an alternate web browser usually solves most connection problems.
7. Test the sound capacity of your computer by accessing a website with sound (e.g., video clip on a news website, Youtube, etc.). 
8. As you enter the webinar, you may be asked to test your media player.  If so, you will need to complete that step.
9. As you enter the webinar, you will be given the option to download software; you can bypass that step and enter the webinar directly.  

Maine Department of Health and Human Services Outlines Changes to ASPIRE Program

 

 

 

AUGUSTA - In the Department of Health and Human Services' continued effort to help families achieve independence, the state's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and ASPIRE program is set to undergo some important changes this year.

The changes will create a more streamlined system to help families, provide one-on-one assistance and allow them to find employment more effectively and efficiently. The services offered by the program will be intensely focused on moving TANF/ASPIRE families toward self-sufficiency and out of poverty.

Currently, Maine's TANF program faces nearly $29 million in federal penalties because benefit recipients have not met required federal TANF work participation rates over several years, dating back to 2007. This issue must be addressed with aggressive action steps. The LePage Administration introduced legislation twice over the past two years to solve this problem by eliminating exceptions in state law to the federal work participation requirement, but members of the Democratic Party denied that solution both times.

Beginning in mid-2016, the Department will contract with a partner who will support family and employment services through technology, innovation and collaboration with established business and community partners. The Office for Family Independence will continue to determine eligibility and issue support services as well as other administrative duties. The contracted partner will be determined through a formal Request for Proposal process set to begin this month.

Other states have taken similar action and found success within the first year. Under the new model, TANF/ASPIRE families will receive comprehensive assessments, job readiness training and development, transportation and other support services, along with immediate engagement from a dedicated case management team.

In August, the Department received a letter from the Administration of Children and Families (ACF) informing the state that it would need to pay the first penalty of the $29 million currently assessed. The amount totaled $1.16 million and will need to be paid with state funds. The letter is the first of its kind sent to Maine and demonstrates the real financial liability associated with continued failure to meet the federal work requirements.

"Despite repeated failures by the legislature to address this problem with law changes, we are moving forward with this reform. The $29 million in looming federal penalties can no longer be ignored, and our clients must be provided with the best service available to help them get back to work. The Department looks forward to the positive changes coming to the program and what it means for TANF/ASPIRE families working toward a life of independence," explained DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew.

The Department has operated the program with diligence within the current rule structure and system to address performance in this program. The Department has determined the necessary step is to add significant resources to engage clients one-on-one with education, skill-building and work readiness activities.