Maine Hospice Council in Augusta closes after 35 years

Maine Hospice Council to Close After 42 Years of Advocacy

Augusta, Maine — The Maine Hospice Council (MHC), a nonprofit that has championed end‑of‑life care in the state since 1984, announced on Tuesday that it will cease operations. The organization, headquartered in Augusta, will shut its doors at the end of the fiscal year, citing a persistent lack of a regular revenue stream as the primary reason for the decision.

The council’s executive director, Kandyce Powell, said she remains available to anyone seeking information on hospice and palliative care. “I will continue to be available to anyone searching for end‑of‑life resources,” she told reporters. “The work we’ve done is now part of Maine’s broader healthcare fabric.”

Alicia Murray, the council’s board president, expressed both regret and pride. “This decision was not made lightly,” she said. “We are incredibly proud of the impact our organization has made and deeply grateful to everyone who supported our mission. While closing our doors is difficult, we celebrate the lives touched, the relationships built, and the lasting contributions made to our community.”

The MHC was a pioneer in connecting Maine residents with hospice centers and developing programs to improve access to end‑of‑life services. Among its notable initiatives were the Hospice Veteran Partnership, which helped veterans obtain hospice care, and the Maine Pain Initiative, designed to enhance pain management for those with serious illnesses. The organization also played a key role in creating a comprehensive hospice program for the Maine State Prison, a model that has since been adopted in other correctional facilities.

“They’ve actually done a really good job to work with very little regular revenue for as long as they have,” Murray noted, reflecting on the council’s resilience. The MHC’s financial base had relied on a mix of state funding, grants, donations, and membership dues. In fiscal year 2025, the state allocated $127,012 to the council, followed by $63,506 in the next two years. These sums were insufficient to sustain the organization’s operations.

Since its founding, the MHC secured annual funding from the state by 1990 and achieved nonprofit status. The council’s advocacy led to policies that raised the quality of end‑of‑life care and established licensing standards for hospice programs across Maine. Its work on palliative care—a medical approach that focuses on relieving symptoms and pain—has been cited as a model for other states.

The council’s closure comes at a time when Maine is experiencing growing demand for age‑related services. According to a 2026 population projection, Maine’s 65‑plus population is expected to rise by more than 20% by 2032. At the same time, the state’s direct care workforce is already short by approximately 2,000 employees, a shortage that could strain the delivery of home‑based and community care services.

“Closing the Maine Hospice Council is a blow to the community, but the need for hospice and palliative care will only increase,” said Dr. Emily Hart, a geriatrician at Augusta Memorial Hospital. “We need to find new ways to fill the gaps that the council has helped to address.”

The council’s end of operations will not eliminate the services it has helped establish. Hospice centers throughout the state will continue to accept patients, and the state’s policies on hospice licensure remain in place. However, the loss of an advocacy arm means that ongoing efforts to secure funding, expand volunteer programs, and improve service delivery may face new challenges.

“We’re grateful for the legacy of the Maine Hospice Council,” Powell said. “We hope the state and community partners will carry forward the momentum it generated.”

The Maine Hospice Council’s final meeting will be held next month, with a brief ceremony to honor its 42‑year legacy. Members of the public can attend to pay their respects and learn more about how they can continue to support end‑of‑life care in Maine.