Sweetser: An era of expansion to give more hope and healing to Maine families

PHOTO Courtesy of Sweetser

Jayne Van Bramer, President & CEO

Sweetser envisions a world where mental health stigma is eliminated and access to treatment and recovery is possible for all.

Over the last year-and-a-half, one of Maine’s oldest and largest behavioral health organizations has expanded programs and reduced barriers to accessing treatment and support, especially in underserved communities.

With over 10,000 Mainers on a waitlist throughout the behavioral health system, the time is now to help families get the care they need, and Sweetser is meeting the moment.

PHOTO Courtesy of Sweetser

Pharmacy ribbon cutting with the Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber

New Pharmacy to serve overall well-being

This past Spring, Sweetser opened a full-service pharmacy built right into the entrance of its Brunswick Hope & Healing Center, located at 329 Bath Road in Brunswick.

Sweetser partnered with Genoa Healthcare to bring comprehensive pharmacy services to Sweetser clients throughout Brunswick and the Midcoast. Genoa is a provider that specializes in serving behavioral health and substance use treatment communities. In fact, they are the largest provider of behavioral health pharmacy and clinical services for individuals with behavioral health and other complex, chronic health conditions in the U.S., serving one million individuals annually across the country.

Through this partnership, Sweetser can now provide medication filling from any doctor, pre-filled pill organizers, prescription refill synchronization, proactive medication adherence outreach, dependable delivery and mail services, assistance with prior authorizations, competitive pricing, and manufacturer assistance programs.

“Housing a pharmacy at a mental health and recovery clinic will reduce barriers for our clients and strengthen the coordination between our team and the pharmacist, both for treatment medication, but also overall wellbeing,” says Joey Rossignol, one of Sweetser’s Senior Directors of Community-Based Services. “Accessible, specialized pharmacy care makes all the difference for people living with mental health conditions.”

This type of partnership in other states has yielded to 90% medication adherence rates, 40% fewer hospitalizations, and 18% fewer emergency room visits.

PHOTO Courtesy of Sweetser

Ribbon cutting at Sweetser’s Hope & Healing Center in Sanford

Strengthening Maine’s Children’s Behavioral Health System with the only Child ACT Team

Sweetser launched Maine’s only Child ACT Team. ACT, which stands for Assertive Community Treatment, is an evidence-based model designed to support children who have not responded to lower levels of treatment and who are at risk of requiring inpatient, crisis, or residential services.

The Child ACT program aims to help children improve functioning while remaining in the most natural setting possible, like at home with community-based support. Each family has access to a multi-disciplinary team that includes a clinician, nurse practitioner or medication manager, case manager, family support specialist, employment specialist, youth peer support, and behavioral health professional.

The Department of Justice previously cited the lack of Child ACT services as a gap in the continuum of care for children’s behavioral health. More recently, the department recognized Sweetser’s Child ACT Team as a benefit to the state. The program serves children ages 5 to 20 who have MaineCare and live within a 25-mile radius of Saco. The goal is to prevent costly hospitalizations and ensure children receive care in the least restrictive setting possible.

“This modality of treatment ensures a child’s full range of behavioral health needs will be met,” Wendy Anders, Sweetser’s Senior Director of Community Services, said. “Families need options and children need support. While there is certainly a place for other types of on-site care, the impact of launching this community-based program will be transformative for those we serve.”

Sweetser recently worked as part of the Behavioral Health Priorities Coalition alongside Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Lori Gramlich on a successful proposal to incentivize the creation of at least one additional Child ACT team in an underserved region.

PHOTO Courtesy of Sweetser

Above: The building on Sweetser’s Saco campus that will be converted to a PRTF in 2026

Bringing walk-in level mental health care to more underserved areas

Sweetser has significantly improved access to mental health and substance use treatment with the opening of its Hope & Healing Centers. These centers, opened last year in Sanford and Lewiston, along with an existing one in Brunswick, operate on the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model.

This innovative approach offers a wide array of services, including 24/7 mobile crisis stabilization, outpatient mental health care, peer support, and individualized treatment plans. A key feature is the Center’s walk-in care coordination, which helps reduce barriers to entry by eliminating the need for appointments and simplifying the process of connecting individuals with the specific treatment options tailored to their needs.

“These centers represent a gateway into accessing the entire behavioral health system,” says Jayne Van Bramer, Sweetser’s President & CEO. “Think of these centers as a one-stop shop for all things mental health and recovery with all the accessibility of a physical health walk-in care clinic. You don’t have to know all the different programs or acronyms. If you need help, we will be there for you every step of the way.”

These centers were made possible in part by a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant and support from the Maine Department of Health & Human Services.

These walk-in care centers enable Sweetser to serve hundreds more Mainers throughout York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin counities with high-quality, integrated, and evidence-based mental health treatment. With Sweetser serving as demonstration sites for the state, Sweetser is leading the way in expanding these centers to more corners of our state.

PHOTO Courtesy of Sweetser

Sweetser’s Lewiston Hope and Healing Center opening

Creating Maine’s 1st Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility

After years of legislative advocacy, Sweetser secured $2 million from the state to transform its existing 8,000-square-foot building in Saco into a 16-bed locked therapeutic residential facility. This project aims to address a critical gap in Maine’s youth behavioral health care system, as Maine is currently one of the few states without a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF).

The PRTF will provide intensive 24-hour psychiatric care in a structured, trauma-informed environment. It will offer a secure, clinical setting with daily active treatment, medical supervision, prescribers, clinicians, and therapy, ensuring the safety of both youth and staff. This setting is less restrictive than a hospital but provides a higher level of care than typical residential placements.

Currently, Maine children with serious emotional disorders are often sent to expensive out-of-state facilities, separating them from their families and support systems. Many also languish in emergency rooms, which are not equipped for long-term behavioral health treatment.

“Sweetser is leading this effort, aiming to bring Maine children home from expensive out-of-state care, marking a significant win for families, children with serious emotional disorders, and the state of Maine,” says Kristie Worster, Sweetser’s Chief Program Officer. “Establishing this facility will keep these vulnerable youth closer to home and provide them with the specialized care they need.”

The program will serve children and at-risk youth with serious emotional disorders and the highest level of need. It’s designed for short-term treatment, with an estimated length of stay of less than a year. The goal is to transition these youth to less restrictive residential placements or back home for community-based treatment. Construction will occur throughout the rest of this year, with staffing planned for spring 2026. The goal is to open the facility and begin taking clients in 2026.

We are looking for additional individual and corporate support to complete this project and match the state construction dollars. If you would like to be part of this incredible effort, email Sweetser’s advancement team at giving@sweetser.org.

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