Governor Mills Announces Release of Maine Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership's 2026 Roadmap

Updated Roadmap highlights accomplishments combatting elder abuse since 2021 and priorities for the future as Maine recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Governor Janet Mills today announced the release of the Maine Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership's (EJCP) 2026 Maine Elder Justice Roadmap, an update to the Partnership's 2021 plan to prevent, detect, and respond to elder abuse across the state.

Governor Mills announced the 2026 Roadmap (PDF) as she proclaimed today World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Maine. The updated Roadmap highlights milestones achieved since the release of the first Elder Justice Roadmap in 2021 and identifies updated priorities through 2028 to decrease elder abuse in Maine, increase the number of victims who seek and receive help, and improve Maine's multidisciplinary response.

"As the oldest state in the nation, Maine has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead," said Governor Janet Mills. "This Roadmap builds on the progress we've made and outlines clear, actionable steps to ensure the dignity, safety and rights of older Mainers."

First convened by Governor Mills through Executive Order in 2019 (PDF), the EJCP brings together public and private sector leaders from law enforcement, state government, legal services, health care, and community organizations to advance a shared vision that every older Mainer has the right to live free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

"Through the establishment of the Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership and the Cabinet on Aging, Governor Mills has recognized that supporting the well-being of older adults requires sustained leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term commitment," said Elizabeth Gattine, co-chair of the EJCP and Cabinet on Aging Coordinator. "While important work remains, this updated Roadmap highlights what is possible when we come together on behalf of older adults to build communities where all of us can age with dignity, safety, and connection."

"Every older adult has the right to live free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation," said John Brautigam, co-chair of the EJCP and Executive Director of Legal Services for Maine Elders. "Yet no single organization can address elder abuse alone. The Partnership demonstrates the power of public and private sector organizations working together strengthen Maine's response by preventing abuse and ensuring that older Mainers have the support, protections, and legal remedies they deserve. As we look ahead with the updated Roadmap as our guide, continued collaboration will be essential to our progress."

"Protecting older Mainers from abuse, neglect, and exploitation is a shared responsibility," said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck. "Through training, collaboration, and strong partnerships, we can better identify these crimes, support victims, and hold offenders accountable."

"Through investments in APS, legal assistance, and community-based supports, this Partnership has strengthened Maine's response to abuse and exploitation of older adults over the last five years," said Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Sara Gagné-Holmes. "This Roadmap guides our continued efforts to protect and support older Mainers."

The 2026 Roadmap highlights accomplishments in Maine's response to elder abuse over the last five years, including:

• Investing $4 million in the FY 2024-25 biennial state budget to reduce abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities, which supported:
  • The addition of 10 Adult Protective Services (APS) positions at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services,
  • Increasing capacity at Legal Services for Maine Elders to provide free legal assistance to older Mainers; and
  • Following a successful pilot by Maine APS and the Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, permanently funding the Elder Service Connections program that connects Adult Protective Services (APS) clients to ongoing advocacy and support services.
• Including elder abuse training as part of the 2026 mandated curriculum required for all law enforcement officers through Maine's Criminal Justice Academy
• Creating Maine's first Elder Justice Investigator position established by the Maine Department of Public Safety, who supports law enforcement investigating elder abuse cases
• Legislatively requiring approved training for individuals mandated under Maine law to report abuse to improve detection and reporting
• Strengthening remedies for financial exploitation and improving restitution options for victims through legislative reforms

The 2026 Roadmap also underscores the urgency of continued action, with an estimated 1 in 10 older Mainers experiencing abuse each year. Elder abuse can include physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, as well as neglect and financial exploitation, and is most often committed by a trusted person, including intimate partners, adult children, and other family members. With nearly 30 percent of Maine's population projected to reach age 65 or older by 2032, continuing to strengthen Maine's prevention and response system remains critical.

In response to a top priority in the 2026 Roadmap, Governor Mills has issued an Executive Order to ensure the EJCP's work into the future, directing the Partnership to continue as a public-private initiative with the ongoing support of her Cabinet on Aging to sustain progress in Maine's response to elder abuse.

The 2026 Roadmap includes 13 top priorities and nine secondary priorities for the public and private sectors. They additionally include annually reviewing APS staffing distribution and capacity statewide and at district levels; fully developing an Elder Service Officer certification program through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy; strengthening coordination across statutorily established mortality review teams to identify trends and recommendations impacting older adults; gathering and publishing data on the quality of long-term care settings to identify patterns and variations and better inform the public; and developing additional education and training resources for volunteers, professionals, and members of the public who may not be required to report to APS but interact with older adults.

If you have reason to believe that a dependent adult in Maine is being abused, neglected, or exploited, immediately notify Adult Protective Services at 1-800-624-8404 (available 24/7) TTY in Maine at Relay 711, TTY Out-of-State (after hours) (207) 287-3492, or fill out the online APS Reporting Form_.