WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that Wabanaki Health and Wellness (WHW) will receive a total of $1,379,504 to help build and improve public health and wellness services and treatment programs. This funding, awarded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support, will help WHW identify, respond to, and mitigate public health threats, improving the health, safety, and well-being of tribal communities across Maine.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for every Maine community to have robust public health infrastructure. This important funding for Wabanaki Health and Wellness will be a critical resource for Maine’s tribal communities and allow WHW to continue expanding health and wellness services across our state” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “We welcome this timely investment and are grateful for the dedicated public health professionals at Wabanaki Health and Wellness who have worked tirelessly through this public health crisis.”

“Every decision we make is based on the health and healing of our Wabanaki communities, and with this grant, we can provide a broader, more holistic set of services and continue to create opportunities for healing in our communities,” said Lisa Sockabasin, Director of Wabanaki Public Health. “By increasing our capacity and strengthening our organization, we can serve, lead, and transform lives.”

Established in 1996, Wabanaki Health and Wellness (WHW) is a not-for-profit organization serving Wabanaki community members living on and off-reservations across the state of Maine, including four federally recognized tribes located in five communities: the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Aroostook Band of Micmacs, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, and the Penobscot Nation.

Senators Collins and King previously announced grants of $2.7 million and $1 million to Wabanaki Health and Wellness for their efforts to expand public health services during the COVID-19 pandemic