Maine (WMTW) - A U.S. District Court judge denied an attempt by Maine and the U.S. Department of Justice to alter an agreement reached after the court found that Maine violated the rights of children with disabilities by unnecessarily segregating them in mental health facilities rather than providing behavioral care locally.

After the DOJ sued Maine, the parties reached an agreement in November 2024. As part of the settlement, Maine agreed to strengthen community-based mental health services, conduct outreach to affected families and report on the number of children who were institutionalized. The state also agreed to appoint an independent reviewer to monitor and evaluate Maine’s compliance.

In September, Maine and the DOJ filed a joint motion to amend the agreement. The changes would

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