Citing low reimbursements, MaineGeneral Health is ending two psychological programs at its Edmund Ervine Pediatric Center in Augusta on May 16.
They include a program for children entering foster care known as PREP (Pediatric Rapid Evaluation Program), as well assessments for children up to 11 years old for cognitive, developmental, autism, and behavioral concerns.
Health system officials say the decision is driven by financial challenges, including reduced government and insurance reimbursements. They say they've sent notifications to roughly 100 affected patients.
Nancy Cronin, executive director of the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council, said the cuts at the center are devastating because they primarily affect diagnosis services.
"We really stress that kids need early intervention treatment," Cronin said. "But you can't get that if you don't have a diagnosis."
Cronin said there's already a backlog of children in Maine who need mental and behavioral health diagnoses. She's hoping the Mills administration or lawmakers will step in to provide funding and prevent a disruption in services.
