Maine DHHS Office for Family Independence

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Augusta, ME
Maine DHHS Office for Family Independence

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The official page of the Office for Family Independence (OFI). For case questions or help, please contact the Office directly.

We connect Mainers with MaineCare, SNAP, TANF, HOPE, and other programs that help meet a wide variety of needs.

11/02/2026

🎉 Happy 30th birthday, TANF! 🎉

🧁Created in 1996, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program gave states more flexibility to design services that help families meet their needs and move toward self sufficiency.

🎁TANF pays for more than cash help. It supports heating aid, job training, family services, emergency aid, domestic violence hotlines, some child welfare services, and more. Through the HOPE program, 803 Maine parents have earned 894 certificates and degrees. Today, TANF helps more Maine families than it did during the pandemic. Most families get help for less than one year.

🥳Federal funding for TANF has not gone up in 30 years. Even so, Maine has made its program stronger. More families can now get help, and benefit amounts have gone up. Maine also created new programs to help parents work and earn more money.

🎉Here’s to 30 years of helping families build stronger, more secure futures—and to continuing that work in the years ahead! 💙

11/01/2026

Your health matters, and affordable coverage may be closer than you think.

Open Enrollment for health and dental insurance through CoverME.gov runs from November 1 through January 15.

Now is the time to explore your options and make sure you have the coverage that's right for you and your family in 2027.

Coverage deadlines:
✔ December 15, 2026 for coverage beginning January 1, 2027
✔ January 15, 2027 for coverage beginning February 1, 2027

Not sure if you qualify? Talk with CoverME.gov assisters or staff about your questions.

Visit CoverME.gov to learn more and apply.

10/30/2026

Do you know who to contact with questions about your MaineCare? There is no wrong door—no matter who you call, you will get forwarded to the correct number. Knowing who to call will save you time.

📄If you have a question about your MaineCare application or MaineCare eligibility --> call the Office for Family Independence

👩‍⚕️If you have a question about using your MaineCare, like finding a provider or accessing transportation --> call MaineCare Member Services

💊If you have a question about medications or your pharmacy benefits --> call the MaineCare Pharmacy Helpdesk

10/23/2026

Starting January 1, 2027, changes are coming to MaineCare eligibility for MaineCare Expansion members* due to federal law—new Work Requirements and renewing coverage every 6 months instead of every 12 months.

💡Check out our NEW screener to see if you could be impacted by the changes at MaineCare.gov/WorkScreener. The screener will ask you a few questions to find out what the new rules may mean for you.

➡ For more information about the 2027 MaineCare eligibility changes, visit MaineCare.gov/Work.

*MaineCare Expansion members are adults who are between 19 and 64 years old and don't meet Social Security disability guidelines or have Medicare.

10/16/2026

If you have MaineCare, you may have heard about changes coming to MaineCare eligibility in 2027. These changes only affect adults who have MaineCare through MaineCare Expansion*.

❗️Most MaineCare members do not have to worry about the changes. About 4 out of 5 current MaineCare members will not be affected because they are:
-Children under age 19
-Eligible for MaineCare because they are pregnant or were pregnant
-Eligible for MaineCare because of a disability (also called SSI-related MaineCare)
-Receiving long-term care services
-Receiving limited MaineCare coverage, such as Drugs for the Elderly or Disabled (DEL) coverage, Special Benefits Waiver, or the Limited Family Planning Benefit

➡For more information about the 2027 MaineCare eligibility changes, visit MaineCare.gov/FederalChanges

*MaineCare Expansion members are adults who are between 19 and 64 years old and don't meet Social Security disability guidelines or have Medicare

10/12/2026

📢OFI expects higher call and office visit volume from Tuesday, October 13 through Friday, October 16 as SNAP issuance begins, and because it is a short work week due to the holiday.

⚠️You may experience longer wait times, especially during peak hours. We recommend calling early in the day or after issuance if you can.

Wondering when your SNAP benefits will be available?

It all depends on the last digit of your birth date:
• If your birth day ends in 0 or 9, benefits are available on the 10th
• If your birth day ends in 1 or 8, benefits are available on the 11th
• If your birth day ends in 2 or 3, benefits are available on the 12th
• If your birth day ends in 4 or 7, benefits are available on the 13th
• If your birth day ends in 5 or 6, benefits are available on the 14th

10/09/2026

Our offices will be closed in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day on Monday, October 12, and we will reopen on the next scheduled business day.

We wish everyone a reflective and restful holiday weekend.

You can report changes and apply for benefits any time at www.mymaineconnection.gov.

10/02/2026

Today, OFI launched SupportLink, a new effort that securely connects eligible Maine households with discounts and relief programs they may qualify for, unless they have otherwise opted out. SupportLink currently includes nine electric utilities, Efficiency Maine, and the Portland Water District, with plans to expand the program to include additional services and benefits over time.

“SupportLink is about making that process easier. Families should not have to navigate multiple applications or send paperwork from one agency to another when we can securely share the information needed to connect them with help. This is a meaningful step toward making services easier to access," said OFI Director Ian Yaffe.

Read the Governor's Press Release: https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-announces-automatic-electric-bill-discounts-thousands-maine-families-2026-10-01

09/20/2026

👷🏻🚧🚩Scheduled Maintenance ahead!

We will be performing scheduled maintenance on our My Maine Connection Portal from 9/21/2026 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM EST.

During this time, users will not be able to use the system, and any in-progress work will not be saved.

We expect the system to be fully available to you on 9/21/2026 at 10:30 PM.

09/18/2026

🌟 Wondering why your SNAP or TANF benefits are changing in October? Here's why!

Every year on October 1st, OFI updates the SNAP and TANF budgets with a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). This helps benefits keep up with everyday expenses.

Because of this update, you may see changes in your SNAP or TANF benefits. Many people even see an increase!

These yearly updates are normal and meant to help support the basic cost of living for benefit recipients.

Didn't get a notice of change? Your benefit may not change because of the COLA adjustment (for example, if you only get the minimum benefit amount), or your case may be pending other changes (like an annual review) that need to happen first.

Address

109 Capitol Street
Augusta, ME
04330

Website

https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi, http://www.mymaineconnection.gov/

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