MAINE, USA — The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced Tuesday that the Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services will be renamed to the Office of Behavioral Health.
According to DHHS, the name change reflects an evolving understanding of the underlying causes of substance use disorders (SUD) and recognizes that individuals facing SUD often require and benefit from mental health services.
The department believes the term “behavioral health” captures this, encompassing a continuum of services ranging from prevention, early intervention, treatment, and crisis care to recovery. It also moves away from what DHHS calls the more stigmatizing term “substance abuse,” which DHHS said fails to adequately convey SUD as a medical condition.
“This new name captures our approach to substance use and mental health disorders,” DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew said. “They are medical conditions and often intertwined, requiring an integrated system of services to support the health of Maine people facing these challenges.”
The name change will roll out informally this week, through updates to the DHHS website, building signage and other materials. DHHS will work with the legislature, Secretary of State, and others to formally update contracts, statute, and regulations as needed, with a likely effective date of July 1, 2020.
The Office of Behavioral Health will continue to operate as an Office within DHHS, with no change to the existing organizational structure.
“This is more than simply a name change,” Maine Opioid Response Director Gordon Smith said. “It is an important statement attacking the stigma and prejudice that has negatively impacted persons with substance use disorders by categorizing this chronic illness as separate from other chronic illnesses. I heartily endorse this change.”