TCMHS, partners increase effort to tackle region’s opioid crisis

LEWISTON — Tri-County Mental Health Services and its partners are forming a plan to address issues surrounding the opioid crisis in the region, and hosted Community Partners Engaging in Community Conversation at Lewiston Middle School on June 28 to discuss the issues and solutions.
The forum was a conversation around the growing opioid crisis, its impact on individuals, families, and communities, and how, by working together, the challenge can be met in part by increased availability of medication-assisted treatment for those who are struggling with opioid use disorder.

The group is also seeking ways to address the critical social determinants that will enhance individual recovery, which include low-barrier housing, food security and meaningful employment.
Tri-County Mental Health Services was awarded a two-year $93,421 grant from the Main Health Access Foundation that will help develop a plan to provide medically assisted treatment for opioid use disorder for un- and underinsured people. TCMHS and its partners are developing the plan that will be implemented in Androscoggin County, and then replicated in western Maine.
The coalition also includes St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Central Maine Health Care, Healthy Androscoggin, United Ambulance, Community Concepts, Androscoggin Health Care and Hospice, Androscoggin County Sheriff, Auburn and Lewiston police departments Bates College and the Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery.
A steering committee will oversee planning that incorporates the partners as well as people in recovery and will finalize the design of the pilot program. It is being led by SMRMC Chief Medical Officer for Behavioral Health Michael Kelley, MD.
At the forum, moderated by Tri-County Mental Health Executive Director Catherine Ryder, two panels presented information.
Steering Committee members addressed the vast increase in the misuse of opioids and how people suffering from opioid use disorder can get help, particularly through medically assisted treatment with medication, like Suboxone.
The second panel was composed of people who are in recovery and their family members, who spoke about the impact substance use disorder has beyond the individual directly affected.
The steering committee panel included Corrie Brown, substance misuse and tobacco prevention manager at Healthy Androscoggin; Kelley; Joseph Philippon, of the Lewiston Police Department; Celeste Yakawonis, of Turner, who is in long-term recovery and a member of local community boards; and Shawn Yardley, chief executive officer of community concepts and president of Community Concepts Finance Corporation.
The other panel included Carmen Edwards, of Auburn, a great-grandmother and student in the midst of earning a master’s degree in human services; Jesse Harvey, of Portland, who is in long-term recovery and is the founder of Journey House Sober Living.
Yakawonis presented on the consumer panel, and she and Edwards were joined by family members who discussed the impact that their loved ones’ substance use disorder has had on them.
The evening was attended by more than 60 people, including Lewiston Mayor Shane Bouchard, Auburn Mayor Jason J. Levesque and Tim Gallant, Maine staff assistant for Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-2nd District.
The evening was made possible by the Maine Health Access Foundation’s support of the planning project and the partners plan to host additional community conversations in the coming months.
Tri-County Mental Health Services provides innovative programs and services addressing mental health, substance-use disorders, developmental disabilities and more in Androscoggin, northern Cumberland, Franklin, Oxford and York counties. For more information, visit www.tcmhs.org.