Emily Bader

89 posts

Emily Bader is a health care and general assignment reporter for The Maine Monitor where she covers substance use, mental health and access to care.

She is particularly interested in exploring how these issues affect Mainers’ everyday lives, how communities are seeking solutions and in serving as a watchdog on decision-makers.

Prior to joining The Monitor, Emily was a reporter for three years at local Maine papers. She has earned recognition from the New England Newspaper & Press Association, Maine Public Health Association, National Newspaper Association Foundation and Maine Press Association. She is a member of Investigative Editors & Reporters and the Association of Health Care Journalists.

Contact Emily via email with questions, concerns or story ideas: emMEMONily themainemonitor org

Contact Emily via Signal: 207-370-8719

Language(s) Spoken: English

Rich Beard looks at the Lewiston memorial.

5 people have used Maine’s new red flag law on their family members so far

Six months since the new red flag law went into effect, a total of eight orders have been filed. Law enforcement officers are continuing to favor the pre-existing yellow flag law.

ByEmily Bader

August 31, 2026

a sign noting the hospital is permanently closed

Maine to explore the role of AI in rural health care

The state needs “a new approach to delivering rural health care,” officials said in a proposal for federal funding.

ByEmily Bader

August 14, 2026

MaineHealth sued over potential closure of labor and delivery unit

The lawsuit comes after months of community opposition to a potential closure of a Damariscotta hospital’s birthing center, and follows requests from Gov. Janet Mills and other officials to delay the decision.

ByMegan Blonigen Emily Bader Abi Brissett

August 5, 2026

Emily Bader interviewing two corrections officers at the entrance of the piscataquis jail.

How we reported on addiction treatment in Maine’s jails

A behind-the-scenes look at and key takeaways from a recent four-part series.

ByEmily Bader

July 31, 2026

Overdose rates soar after incarceration. Can jails change that?

Some Maine jails are bolstering their re-entry planning, connecting prisoners with resources to prevent them from overdosing or getting arrested again. But it's an ongoing challenge.

ByEmily Bader

July 24, 2026

A corrections officer stands to the side in a doorway

The cost of treating addiction in Maine’s jails

The state’s 15 county jails spent an estimated $12.6 million on addiction and mental health treatment last year, often through a mix of grants and other temporary funding streams.

ByEmily Bader

July 23, 2026

Audrey Condon looks out a window in a dark room.

Her addiction started after a C-section. Her recovery began in jail

“If they can help you while you are in jail to get yourself set up for when you come out, that is the best thing that they can do for you.”

ByEmily Bader

July 22, 2026