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Advocates Question Move to End Healthy Maine Partnerships

AUGUSTA, Maine - Lawmakers and public health advocates in Maine are demanding answers from Gov. Paul LePage's administration about why it discontinued the Healthy Maine Partnerships program and how it plans to transition to a centralized approach to health education.

The Portland Press Herald reports that the 27 agencies that were part of the coalition had their contracts terminated last week. They were told that five agencies will subcontract to local agencies for public health education.

Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Samantha Edwards says the changes don't represent a reduction in health prevention services or funding. State officials say the new, more centralized approach will be an improvement over the localized organization of Healthy Maine Partnerships.

But advocates say the move is puzzling and the partnerships were effective.