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Rep. Lori K. Gramlich, D-Old Orchard Beach, is serving her fourth term in the Maine House of Representatives. She is the assistant House majority leader.
All children deserve to be safe, healthy and cared for, and to have access to an education that meets their individual needs. But for too many young Mainers, that is simply not the case.
As a longtime social worker and state lawmaker, I hear these stories every day: Maine kids are sent out-of-state for mental health care because our state doesn’t offer them appropriate treatment options. Young children with disabilities are stuck on waiting lists for services. Youth tragically end up involved with the criminal justice system because they didn’t receive the support they needed to succeed.
We can do better for our children, but to do so, I believe Maine needs an independent advocate who is solely dedicated to the wellbeing of kids.
For over a year, I have worked with numerous advocates and stakeholders to draft LD 1893, legislation that would create an independent Office of the Child Advocate in Maine. This new agency would ensure children have a dedicated advocate in state government whose sole mission is to ensure their rights are upheld and their needs are met.
The proposal builds on the work of the state’s existing Child Welfare Services Ombudsman. The ombudsman plays a critically important role in protecting children’s safety and rights, but it is limited to cases involving state child protective services. The Office of the Child Advocate would preserve and expand this work with a mandate that would cut across programs and agencies, overcoming artificial barriers that can hamper efficiency and effectiveness.
The office would receive and investigate complaints, share information with the public and advise policymakers — including the governor and state lawmakers — on how we can center the best interests of Maine kids in every decision we make.
Over the last seven years, we’ve made some important progress to improve the lives of kids and families. I am truly proud of the policies my colleagues and I have put in place during my time in the Legislature.
In partnership with Gov. Janet Mills, we’ve fulfilled the state’s commitment to fund 55% of K-12 public education, and we provided free breakfast and lunch in public schools, so no student has to learn on an empty stomach. We created a statewide paid family and medical leave program, so that Mainers won’t have to choose between a paycheck and caring for themselves or a loved one. We have worked to bolster access to child care, strengthened programs that support struggling families and so much more.
But I know we have more work to do. We can better protect kids whose needs are still unmet.
It’s well known among policymakers that investments during childhood pay big dividends by laying a strong foundation for the future. Programs and policies that help kids grow and develop make communities healthier, more economically prosperous and even promote public safety. A dedicated child advocate would ensure that the vital importance of those investments is never far from the minds of state leaders and decision-makers.
All of us have a profound responsibility to the children in our communities. As a licensed master social worker and a state representative, I feel that particularly acutely, and I have dedicated myself to making life better for my youngest constituents. I have worked on countless bills to protect Maine kids, and the creation of an Office of the Child Advocate would be an incredibly meaningful and fitting culmination of that work.
It’s this simple: Kids can’t advocate for themselves. They rely on adults to protect and care for them. Whether and how that happens shapes the lives they will lead — and the future of our state.
This session, I hope my fellow lawmakers will join me to make an enduring difference for all of Maine’s children by supporting the creation of an independent Office of the Child Advocate.