BANGOR, Maine — To combat the opioid epidemic in Maine, hundreds gathered Monday morning to attend the fourth-annual Opioid Response Summit at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
The full-day event welcomed remarks from Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and featured a handful of speakers, many of whom are in recovery.
Courtney Allen, the organizing director of the Maine Recovery Advocacy Project, shared her story of recovery on stage.
"It was phenomenal to see so many people that are passionate about this issue here in this room," Allen said. "I also think it's really important to know there are a lot of people who are in positions of power here that are also in recovery or are recovering out loud with family members, and I think that's wonderful as well."
Afterward, attendees could listen in on multiple breakout groups to learn about a handful of topics regarding current strategies for prevention and treatment.
In one breakout room, University of Maine professor Dr. Marcella Sorg discussed Maine's current strategies, from overdose surge tracking to forecasting Narcan needs to match overdose levels.
Director of Opioid Response Gordon Smith has been at the forefront of the opioid crisis in Maine and said although the state faces some obstacles, he is determined to find solutions.
"You got to be out on the street with them, and that's what these people behind me are doing. And so it's just awesome to bring them together, and you get a lot of energy from each other," Smith said.