Sweetser Advocates Mental Health Funding in Maine

Sweetser's president and CEO Jayne Van Bramer and chief communications officer Justin Chenette met with Maine's congressional delegation in Washington last week to advocate for behavioral health funding.

The two executives represented Maine as the state's only provider at Hill Day with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. They spoke with Senator Angus S. King Jr., Senator Susan Collins, and the chief of staff for Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.

Van Bramer and Chenette pressed four priorities: expanding the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model, supporting behavioral health workforce development, securing federal appropriations, and protecting Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.

Sweetser asked supporters to contact Congress about four bills discussed during the meetings: the Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act, the Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026, the PEERS in Medicare Act, and the Community Mental Wellness Worker Training Act. Email templates for each bill are available through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing website.