The Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative formed in 2015 in response to the crisis of substance use disorders. The group is made up of community members and professionals from many backgrounds, including social services, behavioral health, law enforcement, the legal and faith-based communities and more. Meetings are open to all, and take place on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 (currently via Zoom due to COVID-19 safety precautions).
Mission Statement
We will build a collaborative, non-judgmental environment to support addiction recovery through education, advocacy, and compassionate community action.
Goals
The Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative goals are to lower overdoses and deaths attributed to the heroin epidemic. These goals can be accomplished through the use of the following;
- Education and Awareness
- Provide families and friends the knowledge of the disease and its destructive nature
- Provide training for families in deploying a heroin overdose antidote
- Have the ability to have volunteers talk about their own experiences coping with the disease to others
- Promoting the initiative at fairs and other community events
- Promoting local AA/NA and other grassroots movements such as Young People in Recovery and Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART)
- Establishing a link in the schools
- Promoting and providing the public with a list of counseling services in the entire area
- Legislative
- Campaign to change the law for those that are incarcerated and how treatment is paid for
- Legal Resources
- Provide information on community wrap-around resources
- Proactive Law Enforcement
- Promoting the Drug Take Back at any time at all Law Enforcement agencies
- Promote Project Save ME
- Treatment
- Focus on accessibility and choices of treatment options
- Volunteering
Visit The Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative Facebook Group