A summit aimed at taking new steps to address the ongoing drug crisis in Maine is set to get underway in Augusta Monday morning.
The summit held by Gov. Mills at the Augusta Civic Center will bring together health providers and experts, law enforcement officials, families, and individuals impacted by the epidemic.
Sessions include talks about recovery support strategies and creating community coalitions.
“While we have made strides in expanding access to treatment and recovery, investing in prevention and education, and supporting law enforcement, we have much more to do to stem the tide of this deadly epidemic,” Gov. Mills said in a statement.
The summit will also feature a journalist who's written about the opioid crisis, the president of the American Medical Association and former President Obama's national drug control policy director.
Drug overdose deaths in Maine declined from 417 in 2017 to 354 in 2018, with 80 percent linked to opioids.
The state's seen a 41.5 percent drop in opioid prescribing since 2013. Maine has also seen expanded access to naloxone — an antidote to opioid overdoses.