AUGUSTA (AP) — A Maine lawmaker is proposing the creation of a statewide system of peer recovery centers to help grapple with the opioid addiction problem.
State Sen. Geoff Gratwick has put in a request for permission to introduce the bill. He says Wednesday it would establish “hubs for peer recovery” in the areas of Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston, Rockland and Waterville.
Maine’s overdose deaths increased by more than a third last year to a record high of more than 370. Opioids caused the most deaths.
Gratwick’s a retired physician and Bangor Democrat. He says peer support is a model that helps people stay in recovery, avoid relapsing and get their lives back in order after battling addiction. He says the state has seen success with peer-led systems for people with mental health illnesses.
The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less