Senators Collins, King Announce Nearly $7.5 Million to Combat Maine’s Opioid Crisis

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 10 Maine organizations have received a total of $7,455,970 to help combat the opioid crisis.  The investments will enable Maine community health centers, rural organizations, and hospitals to establish and expand access to integrated substance use disorder and mental health services.  The funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“The opioid crisis is devastating families and communities across our state, claiming the life of nearly one Mainer per day on average last year,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “This important funding will give Mainers who are struggling with substance use disorders access to the treatment programs they need to achieve recovery and healing.”

The funding was allocated as follows:

• York Hospital received $125,000 through the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) Drug Free Communities (DFC) Grant Program. 

• Healthy Acadia received $125,000 through the DFC Grant Program.

• The City of Portland has received $125,000 through the DFC Grant Program.

• The Bangor School Department received $125,000 through the DFC Grant Program.

• Redington-Fairview General Hospital received $125,000 through the DFC Grant Program.

• Maine General Medical Center received $125,000 through the DFC Grant Program.

• Aroostook Mental Health Center received $200,000 through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Grant Program (RCORP).

• Maine HHS received $6,255,970 through the State Opioid Response (SOR) Grant Program. 

• Wabanaki Health and Wellness received $250,000 through the Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) Grant Program to provide medical-assisted treatment services to tribal communities.

• Aroostook Micmac Council received $125,000 through the TOR Grant Program. 

Created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, DFC spearheads efforts to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance abuse. The program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.

The RCORP enhances and expands service delivery for substance use and opioid use disorders in rural communities.  The program aims to implement prevention, treatment, and recovery activities tailored to communities’ unique needs.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) State Opioid Response (SOR) and Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) grant programs help states and tribes provide community-level resources for people in need of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.

Earlier this month, Senators Collins and King announced that medical organizations in Brewer, Portland, Skowhegan, and Bangor have received a total of $4 million to combat substance and opioid use disorders. 

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