Annual Conference May 31, 2017 Who Should Attend: This conference is designed for persons in recovery, consumers, survivors, service providers, family and community members Conference Objectives: The goals for the conference are for participants to gain a greater understanding of what recovery/wellness is from the many paths and different perspectives on the journey of life. This conference will be a chance to learn from each other, network, and gain greater understanding about recovery ... Read More ›
News
PPH – Maine overdose deaths soared nearly 40 percent last year, to record 378
Opioid drugs such as fentanyl and heroin caused most of the fatalities in 2016, the fifth straight year of increases in 'a heartbreaking statistic.' By Megan Doyle ... Read More ›
PPH – Lost: A 10-Part Special Report on the Opioid Crisis in Maine
As the public health crisis deepened, state policies made treatment less available to the tens of thousands of people addicted. Only now is Maine beginning to pay attention. For the victims and families left behind, it’s too little, too late. The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram presents a 10-day series exploring the heroin scourge and assessing the horrific cost our state has borne. Click here for the complete series. ... Read More ›
MEPublic – Study: If Obamacare is Repealed, 19,000 Mainers Will Lose Mental Health, Drug Treatment
Please go to Maine Public to read the full article. By Patty Wight ~~Excerpt More than 19,000 Mainers will lose access to mental health and drug treatment if the Affordable Care Act is repealed, according to researchers at Harvard and New York University. At a time when drug overdose deaths are at an all time high in Maine, health care advocates say the push by Republicans in Congress to repeal the ACA with no clear replacement will make the problem even worse. Eleven-thousand ... Read More ›
PPH – ACA repeal would jeopardize addiction treatment for about 8,300 Mainers, researchers say
Please go to the Portland Press Herald to read the full article. The loss of coverage in the state would come amid an opioid crisis in which an average of one person a day dies from an overdose. By Joe Lawlor ~~Excerpt An estimated 8,300 Mainers with substance use disorders will lose access to treatment programs if the Affordable Care Act is repealed, according to an analysis published Wednesday by researchers at New York University and Harvard Medical School. The loss of coverage ... Read More ›
PPH – Barriers discourage Maine doctors from providing Suboxone to opioid addicts
Please go to the Portland Press Herald to read the full article. Financial and other disincentives make it 'a lot to ask,' but recent progress that includes more funding for medication-assisted treatment offers signs of hope. By Joe Lawlor ~~Excerpt Doctors’ groups have spent several months trying to coax fellow physicians to become Suboxone providers – apparently to little effect. Boosting the low supply of doctors who prescribe Suboxone is a crucial piece of the puzzle that if ... Read More ›
KJ – From the State House: Mental health policy a matter of life and death
We must protect funding for prevention and treatment of mental illness. By Senator Cathy Breen I read with great sadness the story in this newspaper about John Norton, a smart and talented young man with a bright future cut short after a nearly two-year struggle with schizophrenia. In the wake of his suicide, Norton’s parents were determined to share their story. His mother said they wanted to help other families dealing with the pain and confusion of schizophrenia. I applaud their ... Read More ›
PPH Letter to the editor: Increased access to addiction treatment in Maine a critical first step
Gov. Paul LePage and Commissioner Mary Mayhew of the Department of Health and Human Services have taken a huge first step toward meeting the growing need for treatment of opioid addiction in Maine. As an alliance of community-based behavioral health providers across the state, we applaud their efforts with this recent addition of 359 new slots for medication-assisted treatment. The slots will go to people without insurance who have no access to treatment currently. This is a critical step ... Read More ›
WGME – How the opioid epidemic impacted Maine communities in 2016
Please go to WGME 13 to read the full article. ~~Excerpt STATEWIDE (WGME) -- On average one person dies a day from a drug overdose in Maine, according to Maine Attorney General Janet Mills. And 2016 is set to be another record year for drug related deaths. "It's not a reflection of someone being poor or unemployed or uneducated. The opioid addiction problem crosses all strata of our demographics in Maine and all regions,” Attorney General Mills said. In April, lawmakers drafted a ... Read More ›
Maine Communities Putting Brakes on Marijuana Sales
Some municipalities have enacted moratoriums on marijuana sales to determine zoning rules for retailers By Danielle Waugh Marijuana legalization may have passed in Maine, but some towns and cities are putting on the brakes, and blocking retailers from setting up shop. From Bangor to Portland, municipalities have enacted moratoriums on marijuana sales to determine zoning rules for retailers. “We need to make sure we get it as right as we can for our community,” said South Portland Mayor Patti ... Read More ›