Élargir l'accès à la prévention du VIH dans le Maine

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Mise à jour: Le 1er juillet 2025, la loi LD1687 a été promulguée !

Alors que les cas de VIH augmentent en raison d'une épidémie active de VIH à Bangor et que le financement fédéral de la prévention du VIH est menacé, nous devons agir avec audace au niveau de l'État pour préserver l'accès à des stratégies de prévention éprouvées et rentables.

GLAD Law, en collaboration avec plus de 60 organisations communautaires, défenseurs de la santé publique, électeurs et particuliers témoignage soumis en soutien à LD1687« Loi visant à clarifier et à accroître l'accès aux médicaments de prévention du VIH ». Ce projet de loi s'appuie sur la loi de 2021 permettre aux personnes d’accéder à la PrEP et à la PEP directement auprès d’un pharmacien sans ordonnance.

Le projet LD1687 élargira l’accès à la prévention du VIH dans tout le Maine en abordant le remboursement des pharmaciens, en permettant aux pharmaciens d’administrer des formes injectables à action prolongée de PrEP et en garantissant la couverture d’assurance de la PrEP injectable.

Programmes de services de seringues dans le Maine

Maison » Maine » Page 2

Maine is currently facing a public health crisis due to an outbreak of HIV in Bangor. Syringe service programs are an important element in ending the HIV epidemic, and GLAD Law is working in Maine to increase access to these programs and ensure best practices are met.

LD219 “An Act to Limit Hypodermic Apparatus Exchange Programs to a One-for-one Exchange”

Mise à jour: Victory! On April 17, 2025, LD219 died in committee.

Loi GLAD submitted testimony in opposition to LD219, a bill that would worsen public health outcomes by creating a one-for-one limit for syringe exchange programs. One-for-one needle exchange programs limit syringe distribution by requiring participants to return a needle before they are given a new one. These programs have been found to be less effective at reducing the number of people reusing syringes.

GLAD Law’s testimony advocates for comprehensive harm reduction strategies, including community clean-up efforts, safe disposal programs, and education initiatives, to address concerns around syringe litter while remaining responsive to public health needs.

LD1078 “An Act to Support Maine’s Public Health Objectives by Increasing Access to Hypodermic Apparatus Exchange Programs”

Mise à jour: Victory! On June 24, 2025, LD1078 became law.

GLAD Law joined the Frannie Peabody Center in submitting testimony in support of LD1078, legislation that would increase access to life-saving care through syringe service programs. LD1078 would allow providers of syringe service programs to operate at multiple locations within a county under one license. This flexibility would increase access to care, enhance staff capacity, and increase the accessibility of safe disposal sites.

Fierté de Portland

Maison » Maine » Page 2

Fierté de Portland

Saturday, June 21 | Portland, ME | Apprendre encore plus

Celebrate pride with GLAD Law at the Pride Portland Parade & Festival.

Pride Portland! brings people together from all over the US and beyond for an annual parade and festival in downtown Portland, Maine to celebrate and honor the accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ movement, to raise awareness of the community’s ongoing struggles, and to foster an environment of inclusivity, accessibility, and solidarity.

Apprendre encore plus

Académie Saint-Dominique et al. c. Makin

Maison » Maine » Page 2

The state of Maine runs a program that provides state funds to support students who attend a private school when the school district where they live does not have its own high school. In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Carson v. Makin that the program must apply to religious schools.

Maine now requires all schools receiving public funds to abide by the educational nondiscrimination provisions of the Maine Human Rights Act. Two religious schools filed lawsuits in Maine federal district court claiming the application of the Human Rights Act provisions to them violates their free exercise of religion. The District Court denied both challenges, and the schools have appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

GLAD Law joined with Lambda Legal on a friend-of-the-court brief to make two broad points: 1. The Carson v. Makin decision does not control in this case, and 2. Maine has compelling state interests in requiring compliance with the MHRA.

Nouvelles

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Les défenseurs des droits des enfants réagissent au procès intenté par le ministère de la Justice des États-Unis contre l'État du Maine pour les défaillances du système de santé comportementale des enfants du Maine

Cette action en justice intervient après plus de deux ans de négociations entre les parties.

Augusta – Aujourd’hui, le ministère de la Justice des États-Unis (DOJ) intenté une action en justice contre l'État du Maine, suite à ses conclusions de juin 2022, selon lesquelles l'État a discriminé les jeunes handicapés en ne maintenant pas un système adéquat de services de santé comportementale empêchant le placement en institution. Cette action en justice fait suite à l'échec des négociations de règlement.

« Vingt-cinq ans après la décision historique de la Cour suprême Olmstead c. LC« L'enquête, qui a conclu que la ségrégation inutile des personnes handicapées dans des établissements institutionnels violait l'Americans with Disabilities Act, a révélé que les enfants du Maine et leurs familles attendent toujours un système de santé comportementale conforme à la loi. Et malgré des appels lancés depuis plus de dix ans pour garantir la disponibilité de ces services, le Maine n'a toujours pas réussi à le faire. Malheureusement, ce procès est la conséquence inévitable de cet échec persistant », a déclaré Atlee Reilly, avocate en chef de Disability Rights Maine.

Après avoir initialement reçu une plainte déposée par Disability Rights Maine, le ministère américain de la Justice a mené une longue enquête et trouvé:

Le système de santé comportementale communautaire du Maine ne fournit pas suffisamment de services. Par conséquent, des centaines d'enfants sont inutilement isolés dans des institutions chaque année, tandis que d'autres enfants courent un risque élevé d'être placés en institution.
« Les enfants ne peuvent pas accéder aux services de santé comportementale à leur domicile et dans leur communauté, services qui font partie d'un ensemble de programmes existants que l'État propose aux familles par le biais de son programme Medicaid (MaineCare), mais qu'il ne met pas à disposition de manière significative ou opportune. »
« Les enfants du Maine ayant des besoins en matière de santé comportementale sont admissibles et adaptés à la gamme de services communautaires offerts par l'État, mais restent dans des environnements séparés ou risquent sérieusement d'être placés en institution. »
Les familles et les enfants du Maine sont très favorables à l'idée de bénéficier de services intégrés. En effet, les parents ont indiqué préférer que leurs enfants reçoivent des services à domicile en raison des traumatismes, de la négligence et des maltraitances qu'ils auraient subis dans des établissements d'hébergement, dans le Maine et à l'extérieur.

Ces résultats n’auraient pas dû surprendre l’État du Maine, qui avait été clairement informé de l’inadéquation généralisée de son système de santé comportementale communautaire pour les enfants lorsqu’un évaluation complète ont conclu, en 2018, que les services de santé comportementale pour enfants n'étaient pas disponibles lorsque cela était nécessaire, voire pas du tout. Deux ans plus tard, une étude distincte évaluation indépendante Les chercheurs du système de justice pour mineurs ont constaté que de nombreux jeunes sont détenus et incarcérés à Long Creek parce qu'ils ne peuvent pas accéder à des services communautaires appropriés pour leurs besoins en matière de comportement et de santé mentale.

Ce qui était vrai en 2018 l'est encore aujourd'hui : le Maine continue de ne pas garantir aux enfants handicapés l'accès aux services de santé comportementale communautaires dont ils ont besoin, à domicile et dans leur communauté. Par conséquent, les enfants handicapés du Maine sont inutilement placés en institution dans des établissements résidentiels, notamment à Long Creek et dans d'autres établissements résidentiels, tant à l'intérieur qu'à l'extérieur de leur domicile. en dehors de l'État, rompant ainsi leurs liens avec leur famille et leur communauté. Cela viole leur droit, en vertu de l'Americans with Disabilities Act, à recevoir des services dans les environnements les plus intégrés et adaptés à leurs besoins.

« Lorsque les enfants peuvent accéder à un traitement et à un soutien près de chez eux, ils peuvent rester en contact avec leur famille et leur communauté », a déclaré Carol Garvan, directrice juridique de l'ACLU du Maine. « Malheureusement, depuis bien trop longtemps, le Maine n'a pas assuré ces services. Depuis 2016, nous nous efforçons de lutter contre les violations des droits humains à Long Creek, mais les efforts sont insuffisants. Le Maine doit fournir à ses enfants les services dont ils ont besoin pour vivre en bonne santé et en sécurité. »

« Les enfants handicapés du Maine et leurs familles méritent ce que la loi exige, à savoir des services de santé comportementale de proximité. L'absence de ces services nuit aux enfants, met à rude épreuve et fragmente les familles, et a des répercussions sur les communautés. Le Maine peut et doit s'acquitter de ses obligations en matière de services exigés par la loi », a déclaré Mary Bonauto, directrice principale de GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders.

Comme l’a indiqué le ministère américain de la Justice dans sa plainte,

« Le Maine peut mettre en œuvre des modifications raisonnables pour que les enfants souffrant de troubles du comportement puissent vivre et s'épanouir dans des environnements intégrés au lieu d'être placés en institution pour accéder aux soins. »
« Mais au lieu de modifier son système de services pour prévenir et résoudre la ségrégation inutile, le Maine a donné la priorité à l’expansion de ses services institutionnels. »

Lisez le communiqué de presse du ministère de la Justice.

Nouvelles

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La loi Shield entre en vigueur dans le Maine pour protéger contre les attaques extrémistes contre les soins de santé reproductive et d'affirmation de genre

Maine joins 17 other states and Washington, D.C. in enacting proactive measure to protect providers, access to care

A new law takes effect today that seeks to shield Maine’s providers of reproductive care and health care for transgender people from attacks based on other states’ laws.

Maine joins at least 17 other states and Washington D.C. in enacting this type of law to protect medical experts who provide safe, legal, essential health care amidst a barrage of ongoing and increasing attacks on abortion and related care as well as medical care for transgender and non-binary people.

LD 227 takes effect just months after the United States Supreme Court opined on two politically motivated cases that seek to restrict access to abortion care through medication abortion et emergency medical care respectively. The Court has agreed to hear a case next term on whether state bans on medical care for transgender adolescents violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The Maine legislature passed LD 227 last spring after lawmakers endured bomb threats to their homes and the State House as well as rampant lies about abortion care, care for transgender people et Maine’s current laws. Sixteen Attorneys General from states that have banned abortion care, health care for transgender adolescents, or both also threatened the state of Maine as elected leaders considered the measure. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey rejected that threat as ‘meritless.’ Governor Janet Mills signed the bill into law in April.

LD 227 is consistent with Mills’ July 2022 décret exécutif safeguarding providers and patients of reproductive care in the wake of the Dobbs Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. It also builds on legislation passed by Maine lawmakers in June 2023 that protects reproductive health care providers from adverse actions by malpractice insurers.

Statement from Lisa Margulies, Esq., Vice President of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund
“Maine continues to lead the nation in protecting safe, legal, essential health care from extremist attacks.

We are grateful to Maine lawmakers who endured threats of violence, abhorrent political rhetoric and rampant lies and moved to protect safe, legal, medical care in Maine. We thank Governor Mills for signing LD 227 into law.

This law creates a new layer of protection against extremists who want to reach beyond their own borders and interfere with Maine’s laws. It means health care providers can continue to offer critical, lifesaving reproductive and gender-affirming medical care in our state, and people who need it can continue to receive this care here.

But let’s be clear: people opposed to abortion and medical care for transgender and nonbinary people will not stop their assaults. The goal is total control over our bodies and our futures. We must remain vigilant and ensure our elected leaders will fight for our rights and freedoms.

LD 227, like all state laws, are subject to change or even repeal based on who represents us in Augusta. With every seat in the Maine legislature up for grabs in November, we urge Mainers to vote their values at the ballot box.”

Statement from Polly Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders
“LD 227 ensures Maine law will govern health care in Maine, that health care decision-making can stay between patients, families, and their doctors, and that Maine providers who deliver vital care are protected. As politicians in more and more states seek to take away our ability to make important, private medical decisions for ourselves and our families, this law safeguards access to legal, standard-of-care health care. We are grateful to Maine legislators and Governor Mills for recognizing the importance of protecting dedicated health care practitioners and re-affirming the state’s commitment to reproductive freedom and equality for transgender Mainers.”

Arrière-plan

Twenty-two states have enacted bans or near-total bans on abortion care.
At least 26 states have passed laws banning access to safe and effective medical care for transgender adolescents, and some have moved to restrict access to this care for adults.
Every major medical association supports care for transgender and nonbinary people, and leading medical organizations including the Association médicale américaine et le American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist oppose government interference with reproductive health care.

LD 227 – The Facts

LD 227 seeks to protect providers and patients from unwarranted out-of-state intrusion into medical decision making and ensures clinicians in Maine can continue to practice in line with the professional standards of care, governed by Maine law.
LD 227 does NOT provide funding for reproductive health care or health care for transgender people. There is nothing related to funding in LD 227.
LD 227 does NOT change current Maine laws with respect to minors and the care they can access.

131st session legislative scorecard
A scorecard outlining how every Maine lawmaker voted on key legislation on reproductive care and related policy during the 131st legislative session can be found ici.

Créer des alternatives au système de justice pour mineurs pour les jeunes

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LD1779, An Act to Prevent Youth Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System by Establishing a Strength-based, Discretionary Juvenile Needs Assessment Program, was enacted by the legislature but failed to receive needed funding. That bill would have created a paradigm shift for youth justice in Maine, shifting accountability from control and punishment to prevention. This bill would provide law enforcement discretion to refer young people in Maine to strengths-based needs assessments from the Department of Health and Human Services and pair the youth and their families with support and services rather than getting them involved with the criminal justice and carceral systems. The passage of LD1779, sponsored by Rep. Grayson Lookner, was a significant victory in attempts to reform Maine’s juvenile justice system and a new bill is sure to return to a new Legislature in advocacy led by Maine Youth Justice.

Titre IX | National

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Your Enduring Rights Under Title IX

You may have seen recent news about a federal court issuing an injunction related to US Department of Education Title IX rules and several actions by President Trump attempting to undermine the rights of transgender students.

Here’s what these developments mean for you here in New England.

What is Title IX?

Title IX is a landmark federal law passed in 1972. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in schools and education programs that receive federal funding. It has been and will continue to be vital to improving opportunities, fair treatment, and funding for girls and women. This law has also been instrumental in ensuring that all people, including LGBTQ+ students, have fair access to educational opportunities, regardless of their sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

What happened to the 2024 Rules?

On August 1, 2024, new US Department of Education (DOE) rules went into effect. Among other things, the rules explained that Title IX protects LGBTQ+ students from discrimination and harassment and ensures that transgender students have access to bathrooms and changing rooms consistent with their gender identity. These rules did not “change” Title IX; rather, they explained protections afforded by the plain language of the statute and incorporated the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of Title VII, a similar statute prohibiting sex discrimination in employment.

Twenty-six states, as well as several schools and anti-trans groups, filed lawsuits to stop the DOE from enforcing the 2024 Rules. On January 9, 2025, a federal court in one of these lawsuits blocked the 2024 Rules from going into effect nationwide. Although this order could be appealed, and other cases are ongoing, it is very likely that the new Trump administration will not defend the 2024 Rules, leaving them blocked.

What does that mean for me?

Just like the 2024 Rules did not “change” Title IX, the order blocking the 2024 Rules did not “change” Title IX either. Title IX still prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which many courts have recognized to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Title IX still requires schools to provide LGBTQ+ students with equal educational opportunities and still gives students and parents the ability to assert their rights to a discrimination-free school environment.

What does Trump’s Executive Order mean for my rights?

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order attempting to make it the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes” and intending to deny the rights of transgender people. He followed this with another order on January 29, 2025, threatening teachers who affirm and support students’ transgender identities. The clear purpose of these orders is to cause chaos, confusion, and fear. In the United States, Congress—not the President—writes laws, and the courts—not the President—interpret laws. The Executive Order does not change the rights of students under Title IX to a safe, supportive learning environment and a quality education.

I think my rights have been violated. What can I do?

All New England states have state laws protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ students in schools—including transgender students—as well as state agencies that investigate and enforce violations of those protections. The court order and Executive Order have no impact on state law protections and on students’ statutory rights under Title IX, nor do they change individuals’ rights to bring their own private enforcement actions.

GLAD Law maintains resources for LGBTQ+ students in New England. For more information about the laws in your state, visit our website:

If you have experienced bullying or harassment at school due to your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, GLAD Law wants to hear from you. Please visit this page to let us know about your experience: https://www.gladlaw.org/TitleIX-Form

This page was last updated in February 2025.

Fierté à l'école | National

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Les écoles publiques ont la responsabilité de soutenir et de fournir un environnement positif à tous les élèves.

L’une des façons d’y parvenir est d’afficher leur soutien aux étudiants LGBTQ+ à travers des symboles et des drapeaux de la fierté.

Les administrateurs des écoles publiques sont légalement tenus d'accorder les mêmes droits à tous les élèves et clubs d'élèves en vertu de la Loi sur l'égalité d'accès. Ainsi, par exemple, si l’école autorise les élèves d’autres clubs à accrocher des drapeaux ou des bannières, l’école a la responsabilité légale d’autoriser son GSA (Alliance pour le Genre et la Sexualité) à faire de même.

Dans les écoles, les responsables peuvent établir des directives concernant l'affichage de drapeaux et de symboles de soutien. Ce n'est pas parce qu'ils affichent des images de soutien qu'ils doivent également afficher des images offensantes si on leur en fait la demande. Les écoles n'ont pas à craindre d'être contraintes d'afficher des bannières, des décorations ou d'autres images offensantes.

Cela signifie que les écoles peuvent arborer des drapeaux comme ceux de Black Lives Matter ou de la Fierté transgenre pour montrer leur soutien à leurs élèves. Les écoles ne sont PAS tenues de retirer ces drapeaux, même si quelqu'un le demande en le considérant comme un symbole hostile.

Que peuvent faire les écoles ?

Entretenir les drapeaux, panneaux et affiches inclusifs existants.
Organisez des réunions du corps enseignant au cours desquelles les employés de l’école proposent de nouvelles expositions inclusives.
Installez de nouveaux affichages inclusifs pour montrer votre soutien à vos élèves.
Fournir à tous les clubs étudiants les mêmes ressources.

Que ne devraient pas faire les écoles ?

Les écoles ne devraient pas créer de programmes permettant à des particuliers de proposer des suggestions de drapeaux.
Les écoles ne devraient pas autoriser les employés non scolaires à installer des affichages.
Les écoles ne peuvent pas autoriser seulement certains groupes d’élèves à avoir des clubs et en exclure d’autres.

Collège | National

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Every student is entitled to equal educational opportunities and an environment that supports them. They also deserve to show up as and express their authentic selves, which includes having their proper name and pronouns used in classroom and administrative settings. For LGBTQ+ college students, this can prove difficult as there are no overarching policies or laws regarding name and pronoun usage at universities. Public universities often have more protections for LGBTQ+ students whereas private and religious educational institutions may follow different policies. Below you can find some information on best practices and ideas on how to best approach the subject with staff, professors, and administration. The links and resources provided were not compiled by GLAD Law and have not been vetted by GLAD Law.

Applying to LGBTQ+ Friendly Universities

Name & Pronoun Use and the Common App

Due to the Common App (a platform that allows students to use one college application to apply to several universities) asking students for their (preferred) names and pronouns, as of January 2022 over 900 universities across the US now have the ability to integrate the use of those names and pronouns, and over 200 universities directly use this information in their campus information systems.

Here you can find a list from August 2023 of The Best Colleges for LGBTQ+ Students in the US. You can also use the Campus Pride Index.

Pronoun and Name Usage on Campus

Professors using your correct name and pronouns

All students deserve to be treated with respect. One way professors can be respectful is by asking for and using students’ correct name and pronouns (even if they differ from what’s on the students’ records).

If you are being named incorrectly and misgendered here are some steps you can take to advocate for yourself:

Bring it up to the person misgendering or misnaming you. They may not be aware that they are doing so and might be able/willing to easily change this.
Share resources. You can find GLSEN’s Pronouns Guide here.
Start a conversation on campus and advocate for campus-wide change. Connect with Campus Pride to take their trainings and use their LGBTQ+ advocacy resources.
Go to the Title IX Office. Persistent, intentional misgendering is also something you can raise with the Title IX Office at your university.

Updating your preferred name and pronouns with the registrar’s office

Some universities now give students the ability to update their name and pronoun information at the registrars’ office so as to not out trans students to their professors and other campus staff. Check out this example of a policy to update for preferred (not legal) names and pronouns from Berklee College of Music.

If your school does not have such a policy and/or is refusing to allow you to update your name and pronouns through the registrar’s office, you may be able to make a Title IX complaint. Title IX protects LGBTQ+ students from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Read more about Title IX here.

Because of FERPA protections, if you are over 18, by law you are able to update your name and pronouns at your college without that information being shared with your parents, guardians, spouse, or financial benefactors.

Advocating for correct name and pronoun usage on campus

Campus Pride has great advocacy trainings and resources for students.

University Policies, Best Practices, etc.

Guides for universities looking to update their practices

Below, university administration, professors, and staff can find guides on supporting LGBTQ+ students in higher education:

Higher Education Today – LGBTQ Students on Campus: Issues and Opportunities for Higher Education Leaders
Best Colleges – 4 Ways Professors Can Become Allies for LGBTQ+ Students
ASCC – She, They, He, Us: Transforming Campus Inclusivity Through the Use of Pronouns

Réponses juridiques GLAD

If you’ve followed these steps and the situation has not resolved or is getting worse, please reach out to Réponses juridiques GLAD. Complete the online intake form at GLADLawAnswers.org, e-mail GLADLawAnswers@gladlaw.org, ou laissez un message vocal au 800-455-GLAD.