Youth Matter! will be holding two Responsible Beverage Seller/Server trainings. The class for on-premise sellers will be held in Waterville on March 11, and the class for off-premise sellers will be held in Fairfield on April 3. Anyone with questions or wanting to register should contact:

Alcohol Awareness Month

Spring is just around the corner and you can help the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) raise awareness and understanding about alcoholism and preventative measures.

Every April, NCADD sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to reduce the stigma associated with alcohol-related issues. This year's theme, "For the Health of It: Early Education on Alcoholism and Addiction," will draw attention to the pervasive impact alcohol has on young people, their friends, families and in our communities.

In Maine, one in four high school students have had alcohol in the last month. Reducing underage drinking is not only important to securing a health future for Maine's youth but is possible with a cooperative effort from parents, schools, community organizations, business leaders and youth themselves.

Support Alcohol Awareness Month by partnering with a local high school or youth organization to host an event about alcohol abuse prevention; throw an alcohol-free community block party; or work with your local police station to host a 'Family Information Night. There are many ways to help raise awareness and don't forget that Kennebec Behavioral Health is here to help with information about prevention and treatment for substance abuse.

Elizabeth Keane, Communication Specialist

Kennebec Behavioral Health

An electronic copy of the Guide can be found at www.mainegeneral.org/hlrc . For a hard copy, please call 626-1275.

Second Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Period Ends:  Yet You Still Might Be Eligible to Enroll

The second Open Enrollment Period under the Affordable Care Act ended February 15, 2015. Many people who didn't purchase or re-enroll for coverage will need to wait for the Open Enrollment starting November 1, 2015, but some may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) allowing them to enroll sooner. Many Qualifying Life Events allow for an SEP and this year some people may be eligible if they find out they must pay the Shared Responsibility Payment (sometimes called a penalty or fee) because they did not have coverage in 2014.

The SEP for qualifying life events will be available throughout 2015. Some examples of these events include:

• Certain changes in family status (e.g., getting married, having a baby or adopting a child)
• Becoming a citizen or lawfully present
• Losing health coverage due to things like the loss of job-based coverage, aging off of a parent's plan, loss of Medicaid, or COBRA coverage expiration

The new SEP will begin on March 15th and end on April 30th. People are eligible for the new SEP if they:

• live in states with a Federally-facilitated Marketplace (such as Maine)
• are not currently enrolled in 2015 Marketplace coverage,
• attest that when they filed their 2014 tax return they paid the fee for not having health coverage in 2014, and
• attest that they first became aware of, or understood the implications of, the Shared Responsibility Payment after the end of open enrollment while preparing their 2014 taxes.

If you believe you may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period, you can call the Health Insurance Marketplace at 800-318-2596 or apply online at www.healthcare.gov. If you are interested in joining the new CO-OP insurer in Maine, contact Maine Community Health Options at www.maineoptions.org or 855-624-6463.

Malory Shaughnessy, Outreach, Education & Social Media Specialist

Maine Community Health Options

mshaughnessy@maineoptions.org