PORTLAND, Maine — Getting into recovery can be a difficult step for someone struggling with substance use, but finding a place to detox can make the process even more difficult. Maine saw a record high of 716 fatal overdoses in 2022.
The Portland nonprofit Milestone Recovery recently purchased a second location in Portland at 10-12 Andover Road. It will nearly double the number of beds in its detox program from 16 to 30.
"We've known that we haven't been able to serve everyone who wants to go into recovery for a long time," Milestone Recovery Executive Director Tom Doherty, said. "It's difficult for our staff to continually say no to people. 'No, we don't have a bed today. Call back tomorrow.'"
However, Doherty said someone's readiness to start their recovery treatment varies by day, which is why it's essential to have more bed capacity.
The expansion will cost $3.1 million. The building itself cost $2.5 million. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services contributed $2.1 million to the project, among other revenue sources, including Cumberland County, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and other local donors.
Increasing the number of detox beds across the state has been a "high priority" since 2019, but finding people to work in those facilities is another piece to the puzzle, according to Gordon Smith, Maine's Director of Opioid Response with the Governor's Office of Policy, Innovation, and Future.
"It's relatively easy to throw money at a project and build beds. You have to have qualified licensed people to work in those facilities," Smith said.
Milestone currently employs 76 people and will hire about 25 more staff members in order to provide 24/7 care to, both, its new facility and its location on India Street. A person's average length of stay at the facility is between three and seven days.
"It's a chance to really contribute to a solution that'll live on in our community, and it's an honor to be part of that," Doherty said.
He said he hopes the renovations on Andover Street will be complete early next year.