BANGOR, Maine — Announced in a recent statement, the Office of Governor Mills plans to expand substance abuse treatment with a new funding initiative.
$1.9 million dollars in funding will be used by behavioral health providers for things like start-up costs or staff training and development.
"We're very excited about those projects because there's a real need for these treatments," Gordon Smith, director for Maine Opioid Response, said. "Our strategic plan has always been based upon prevention, treatment, harm reduction, [and] recovery support, and I've always said we have to be successful in all of these spaces."
Those who will receive funding are substance abuse treatment facilities like Wellspring in Bangor. Executive Director Suzanne Farley receives patients from across Penobscot County. She says although Wellspring was not part of this particular grant, the funding is tremendously important.
"The goal [is] to get more money into rural parts of Maine, so that when we send our people back home after they've completed six months of residential treatment... they've got a supportive community when they get back," Farley said.
According to the State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup dashboard, Penobscot County suffered more suspected overdoses in 2021 than any other county in Maine since 2017.
Holly Wormell has been in recovery since 2016 and hopes this initiative will be another boost to fighting addiction.
"It's a legitimate disease that should be treated as such, and I think it's terrific that they're getting the funding to be able to start actually, really treating it," Wormell said.
The grant will be issued by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services in late September.
If you, or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you can call 2-1-1 to get connected to services.