Resources available to aid with opioid recovery

If statistics were genuinely sobering, Washington County would be a clean‑living place. Unfortunately, it requires more than just numbers to create sobriety --and the recently released statistics from Dr. Marcella Sorg of the University of Maine indicating that Washington County has nearly double the rate of overdose deaths per capita of any other Maine county paint a disquieting picture of what many in the county already know. There are, however, groups and individuals that are continuing to rally to combat the drug epidemic, some of whom shared their resources at a St. Croix Community Connections meeting held on April 26 at the Washington County Community College.
Sorg's findings indicate that Washington County suffered 20 deaths from overdoses in 2016 alone. Comparing overdose deaths per 100,000 residents, her data show Washington County at 63.6, with Penobscot County next highest at 37.5. Although southern Maine counties had more overdose deaths than Washington County, their rates per capita were less than half of the county's rate.
Healthy Acadia is one organization deeply involved in collaborating across the county to combat the crisis. The organization now offers recovery coach training, input on prevention action teams, community action teams, training on creating community circles, forums, ethics trainings and specific presentations such as Hidden in Plain Sight.
"A lot of schools are reaching out," said Terri Woodruff of Healthy Acadia. "People don't know where to go or what to do. Students live in homes where substances are being made, used or sold. Sometimes the students are using themselves because their parents are users. We need to figure out what's going to work and how we can get people together."
Training more recovery coaches in Washington County is at the top of the list for effective methods of assisting those who have a desire to recover. Maine is well behind the rest of New England in the number of recovery coaches available. According to Crystal Donovan, assistant acute care director at Calais Regional Hospital, the state has less than 50 coaches available. Donovan recently completed the training herself, and Woodruff now reports that a total of 16 coaches are available in Washington County.
"We want to get to 24 recovery coaches here," says Woodruff. The coaches work with individuals who are active users as well as persons who are already in recovery to offer ongoing support. One of the goals is to establish a pilot program for local prisons facilitated in part by recovery coaches. Woodruff expressed that Healthy Acadia will go to any organization and provide a short presentation on recovery coaches and their roles if employees are interested in becoming coaches. The training is typically 30 hours long over three days. To find out when the next training is or to request a presentation, contact Woodruff at <terri@healthyacadia.org> or 255‑3741.
Woodruff also offers Hidden in Plain Sight, a presentation for parents to increase awareness of drug use in children. During the presentation, Woodruff brings in a blow‑up bed, clothing and specific accessories to simulate a child's bedroom and teaches parents what they should be looking for. Among the included items are grinders, pipes, whipped cream cans, tinfoil, straws, spoons, beer bottles, energy drinks that are crushed, needles, vaping devices that resemble inhalers, and Febreze air sprays. "Some stuff is really, really hidden, but some stuff is in plain sight," explained Woodruff. Woodruff is always accepting requests to conduct the presentation at schools.
Healthy Acadia is also actively bringing in guest presenters to area schools. As part of a prevention action team in Woodland, Woodruff is aiming to have Skip Gates present his film, The Opiate Effect, at the school on Thursday, May 11.
Lastly, Healthy Acadia offers community circle trainings. The trainings teach attendees to hold community circles, which follow a specific format, to encourage discussion about issues that communities feel passionately about, including substance abuse.
A new for‑profit venture dedicated to assisting those who wish to recover from addiction is opening in Calais soon. Known as Groups, the model has been successfully launched in other areas in the state, including Auburn, Rockland and Augusta. Groups is dedicated to group‑based therapy supplemented with Suboxone treatment, and it has recently been looking for recovery coaches to assist its patients. The cost to participate in Groups is $65 a week. "It will have a role, definitely," says Clem Deveau of AMHC.
Also discussed were "opioid health homes," a model promoted by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Opioid health homes are specially designated medical offices that are capable of providing extensive support for those who are experiencing opioid addiction and who have either Mainecare or are uninsured. These offices must have six people on staff with addiction expertise, including a doctor or nurse on staff that can prescribe Suboxone. For offices that meet the requirements, the state will reimburse up to $1,000 a month per patient for the administration of Suboxone and treatment. The newly launched program allots for 174 slots of uninsured patients around the state, with 576 slots available for Mainecare recipients.
To find out more about Healthy Acadia's programs or to request a presentation, visit <healthyacadia.org>.