Tim Nangle: Preventive Care Is About Showing Up Early

By Senator Tim Nangle

February is National Cancer Prevention Month. It’s a reminder that some of the most important health care we can invest in isn’t emergency treatment after something has gone wrong – it’s the screenings, check-ins and conversations that help us catch problems early, when they are most treatable.

State Senator Tim Nangle

Preventive care saves lives. And here in Maine, we’ve taken meaningful steps this year to strengthen both physical and mental health services through preventive care.

Recently, Governor Mills allowed a bill from my colleague, Senator Donna Bailey, to become law, that expands access to specialized cancer and cardiac screenings for first responders. Firefighters and police officers face elevated health risks because of the work they do to keep our communities safe. Firefighters, for example, are regularly exposed to dangerous chemicals like arsenic, asbestos and sulfuric acid, which are known to increase cancer risk. National data shows firefighters have a 9 percent higher overall cancer risk compared to the general population, with even higher risks for certain cancers.

The new law does not mandate insurance coverage for these screenings outright, but it creates an important tool: if coverage is denied, the burden shifts to the insurance company to justify that denial. That matters. It means the brave men and women who protect us don’t have to shoulder that burden alone.

The same commitment to early detection and timely care applies to our approach to mental health as well.

Last month, the Health and Human Services Committee unanimously advanced my bill to formally recognize the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in Maine law.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a simple, three-digit, nationwide number that connects individuals to compassionate, skilled support for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts, mental health-related distress or substance use-related concerns. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, people who call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org are connected to a national network of more than 200 local crisis centers that provide judgment-free support, crisis de-escalation and connections to additional resources.

988 is already operating, answering calls and texts from Mainers in crisis. But it still does not have a permanent place in statute.

By passing my bill and placing 988 into Maine statute, we’re ensuring it becomes a permanent part of our state’s crisis response framework. While the service is already up and running, codifying it provides long-term stability and clarity in law, helping protect it from uncertainty and laying the groundwork for stronger coordination and support in the future.

Just as we encourage regular cancer screenings to catch illness early, we must also make it easier and safer for people to reach out before a mental health crisis becomes a tragedy. Prevention in mental health means removing stigma, increasing awareness and ensuring services are stable and accessible.

Whether it’s a firefighter getting a screening that detects cancer early, or a young person texting 988 in the middle of a difficult night, preventive care is about showing up early. It’s about building systems that respond before the worst happens.

As we observe National Cancer Prevention Month, I’m reminded that our work in Augusta is not only about roads and budgets and policy debates. It’s about people. It’s about protecting lives in quiet but meaningful ways.

Prevention may not always make headlines. But it saves families from heartbreak. And, that’s work worth doing.

988 offers 24/7 judgment-free support for mental health, substance use and more. Text, call, or chat 988.

It remains an honor to work on your behalf in Augusta.

The opinions in this column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Windham Eagle newspaper ownership or its staff. <