New crisis number to aid those in need

The letters that make up the newly established phone number for anyone in Washington County looking to talk to someone or for support services for substance use disorder (SUD) say it all: 833 NVR GVUP. The phone line is the effort of Aroostook Mental Health Center (AMHC). The free service was established in late August to help those suffering with SUD and provides a vital lifeline for anyone needing help.
"To put it simply, we are trying to save lives," explains Michelle Ferris, AMHC program director of emergency services for Aroostook, Washington and Hancock counties. "Washington County has the highest rate of death due to drug overdose in the state. By creating a central coordinating telephone system that is staffed 24/7 and available to law enforcement, medical and emergency personnel, public officials, education staff and other members of the public, we hope to reduce the number of fatal overdoses."
The direct phone line is the result of legislation sponsored by Rep. Anne Perry and signed by Governor Janet Mills in June 2019. Specifics of the legislation include provisions to coordinate services between organizations in Washington County; bridge gaps in services in Washington County for SUDs; establish a "coordinating telephone system" based in Washington County; make it available to people and organizations including law enforcement, medical and emergency personnel, public officials, educational staff and members of the public; and connect people to SUD treatment, counseling, referral services, peer services and recovery coaching.
Ferris says the service to date been under utilized, so it's imperative the public knows it is available. "It is very under-utilized so far, so it is difficult to identify what type of impact it is having," says Ferris. "What we would like to see is easy, low barrier access to services and people getting connected to recovery very quickly."
The phone line is funded through the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Behavioral Health and has a one year contract. "The phone line was not live until August, so we're left with a six month operating window," says Ferris. "When someone calls, the recovery coach answering the phone will listen and offer support, assess for safety and help the caller make a plan based on what their identified needs are. We need it to be utilized. That will support it being extended."
Examples of some of the resources available to callers are counseling, peer recovery centers, recovery coaches, medication-assisted treatment, 12 step programs, residential support, Narcan kits and training, syringe exchange and more.
For Washington County Program Administrator for Maine Access Points Chasity Tuell, it is clear how vital this service is. She explains, "From my point of view, both as a person in recovery and as someone who runs a syringe service program and provides peer support, having a central contact to connect people to resources is greatly needed. When people are looking for help or support, that connection can be truly life or death."
"This resource is for anyone in the community," says Ferris. "It can sometimes be hard to reach people who are experiencing a SUD, and we want professionals, friends and families to know about the resource so when they see someone who may have a SUD, they can share it. This includes law enforcement, medical providers, friends and family members, etc. We want to help people enter into recovery to help them reclaim their lives and reduce the risk of death."
The phone line is now live and can be reached at 1 833 687 4887 or 454 1999.
AMHC is a nonprofit organization supporting nearly 6,000 clients annually. The agency has 26 service sites and 325 employees located across Aroostook, Washington and Hancock counties providing mental health, substance use, crisis and sexual assault services. For more information, connect with AMHC at www.amhc.org.