The state has seen a 41.5 percent drop in opioid prescribing since 2013, seventh-highest in the nation, as physicians work to limit the risks of dependency. By: Joe Lawlor, Staff Writier Drew Floyd used to be on high doses of opioid painkillers for chronic back pain but has now been weaned off them. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer Opioid prescribing in Maine has plummeted over the past five years, including a 14.1 percent decline in 2018, a positive sign as ... Read More ›

When enrollment finally ramps up, will there be enough providers available for addiction treatment? BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD One of the selling points for expanding Maine’s Medicaid program was its potential for getting more people who are caught up in the opioid epidemic the help they need. About six months in, it’s clear some additional steps are necessary. The expansion of eligibility for Medicaid, or MaineCare as it is known here, was approved at referendum in November ... Read More ›

Some 70,000 Maine residents were expected to qualify under the new standards, but only about 26,000 have done so. By Marina Villeneuve, Associated Press AUGUSTA — Thousands fewer Mainers than expected have signed up for Medicaid in the first six months of a statewide expansion of the program. New enrollment projections had ranged from 50,000 by mid-2019 to 70,000. But so far, just over 26,000 Mainers are currently enrolled under the expansion, according to Department of Health and Human ... Read More ›

Governor Mills' response to the opioid epidemic, the 2019 Opioid Summit, will be held July 15th, 2019 at the Augusta Civic Center. The conference theme, "Turning the Tide: Maine's Path Forward in Addressing the Opioid Crisis" will bring people together to discuss the many challenges those with substance use disorder and in recovery face alongside the opportunities that exist moving forward. Keynoting the Summit will be Sam Quinones journalist and author of the landmark book, Dreamland, and ... Read More ›

Funding for mental health services runs out at end of June Mary Cat Mannion, WMTW Reporter AUGUSTA, Maine — There is a push for more mental health service funding for children in Maine as the money for certain services runs out at the end of the month. Advocates are seeking more than $400,000 that would go towards services for mental health providers. Supporters of the bill said the funding is meant to keep children out of the criminal justice system and provide services for ... Read More ›

Screening provided by the Disability Rights Maine and Maine Center for Juvenile Policy & Law A Documentary Film From Lives In The Balance, In Association With Lone Wolf Media The Kids We Lose is a 90-minute documentary film about the human side of being and having a child or student with behavioral challenges, and the struggles faced by parents, educators, staff in facilities, mental health clinicians, and law enforcement professionals in trying to ensure that these kids receive the help ... Read More ›

Malory Shaughnessy, executive director of the Maine Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services, says waitlists with other providers underscore the need for more capacity. And to increase capacity, she says, Maine needs to increase its Medicaid reimbursement rates to providers. “In recent years, some of our capacity has been eroded because rates have not maintained a level that can support the service,” she says. When Janet Mills ran for governor, she promised to expand Medicaid to ... Read More ›

HOPE | Stronger Together: Embracing Relationships, Well-being, & Community May 29, 2019, 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Augusta Civic CenterSAMHS, CCSM, MAPSRC Scroll down to register ABOUT THE KEYNOTES Seth Blais Seth Blais is living in recovery from substance use disorder. After a decade of struggling with heroin and cocaine addiction, he dedicates most of his time reaching out to peers who share his experience. Through his work with several recovery-focused organizations, he advocates for ... Read More ›

Malory Shaughnessy, executive director of the Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services of Maine, said Mills’ first two executive orders represent a “complete 180-degree change the state desperately needed. Many of our community-based behavioral health agencies have been creatively pulling together scarce resources and private grants to start programs such as rapid access MAT induction in emergency departments with connections to home and community follow up and treatment, such as is ... Read More ›