The LePage administration last year announced a plan to devote almost $5 million in state and federal money to medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction, especially for people who don’t have health insurance. The “Opioid Health Home” program was supposed to be a big step forward in comprehensively dealing with the opioid crisis.

But from the beginning, there have been concerns that it was too complicated to work and, as the Portland Press Herald reported Friday, some of those concerns seem to be affirmed. In a memo, the Department of Health and Human Services says the program has, so far, treated about 50 people, only five of whom were uninsured.

Malory Shaughnessy is the executive director of the Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services, Maine,- a trade group that represents providers. She spoke with Maine Things Considered host Nora Flaherty.

https://cpa.ds.npr.org/mpbn/audio/2018/02/180216NFOpioid.mp3