Covers towns roughly within 50 miles of Augusta.

Opioid Crisis Response: A plan of compassion, connection and communities

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Gordon Smith, the executive director of the Maine Opioid Crisis Response task force. Photo by Jeanne Marquis.

by Jeani Marquis

The Maine Opioid Response Strategic Action Plan has five focus areas – Leadership, Prevention, Overdose Rescue, Treatment and Recovery – all leading to one goal. That goal is to reduce the negative health and economic impacts of substance-use disorder (SUD) and opioid-use disorder (OUD) on individuals, families and communities in Maine. The action plan reflects the understanding that substance abuse impacts the rural areas of the state as much as the urban.

“This is a chronic disease,” explains Gordon Smith, the executive director of the Maine Opioid Crisis Response task force, “we need to break down the stigma to stop shaming people for using drugs, encourage them, love them and wrap our arms around them and get them into recovery.”

The first of the five focus areas of the action plan provides strong state level Leadership using evidence-based and community-focused actions in response to Maine’s opioid crisis. State leadership means breaking down the silos between existing agencies to eliminate duplication and focus resources where they are needed. The Opioid Response, Prevention and Recovery Cabinet is comprised of representatives from Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Law enforcement agencies, other related state departments, an affected family member, person in recovery and the state’s Attorney General. Under their leadership, efforts will be made to increase the public understanding and reduce the stigma of substance and opioid use disorder.

The second of the five focused areas is prevention — working to deter our state’s youth from using addictive substances in the first place. The plan calls for preventive programs in our schools and not stopping there but also reaching out to community and youth organizations. Youth organizations play an important role in establishing self-esteem and decision-making skills needed to build resilient youth.

Community social services can identify and address adverse childhood experiences that can lead to future drug use if not addressed early in a child’s life. In some cases, prevention needs to begin before a child is born to a mother who is a substance abuser. In 2018, 904 children in Maine were born substance exposed. Maine is one of 10 states receiving a $5.3 million federal grant to help substance-exposed babies and their mothers to create more positive outcomes and lower future statistics. This grant funds the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Initiative at the maternity department at hospitals throughout Maine: Maine General Medical Center, Maine Health, Mid Coast-Parkview Hospital, Northern Light Health, Penobscot Community Health Care and Pines Health Services. Pregnant substance users are urged to seek care with MOM program early in their pregnancy.

The third focus of the Opioid Crisis Response Plan is Overdose Rescue. The primary motivation is to keep the substance users alive so they can get into treatment. The task force is distributing 35,000 doses of naloxone to law enforcement, emergency responders, recovery center, correctional facilities and overdose prevention programs. To support the distribution of naloxone, the task force is providing education on overdose prevention, how to identify an overdose and how to administer naloxone. The task force wants to encourage families who have a loved one who is struggling with opioid addiction to ask their physician how to obtain naloxone for their household and get training on its use.

The fourth focus is to ensure that treatment is local, immediate and affordable. The plan is to get users into Medicated-Assisted Treatment (MAT) as soon as possible after a crisis by supporting emergency rooms and county jails in adding MAT programs. Medicated-Assisted Treatment is the use of FDA-approved medications to ease cravings and withdrawals, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies. The task force is also working to increase MAT providers and shorten the long waits to entering treatment plans. Maine needs more prescribers who are qualified to treat addiction. Smith said, “We’ve almost doubled the number in a year. There is a lot more outpatient treatment out there, but it is still a patchwork. There’s so much to be done.” Smith went on to explain that Maine lacks adequate residential treatment for addiction. We only have two detox facilities in the state.

The last of the five focuses of the Opioid Response Action Plan is to support addicts in their Recovery and build recovery-ready communities. “Addiction is a disease of isolation; so, connecting people to back to a positive family, back to their friends, back to a recovery community is really important,” explains Smith. People in recovery need to be surrounded by positive people who know what they have been through and the struggles they face along the ups and downs of their recovery journey. That’s why the recovery coaches are vital as they are generally people in recovery who wish to help others who are beginning recovery. The plan increases the number of recovery coaches and funds additional recovery housing units and community-based recovery centers in key areas throughout the state.

When Smith was asked what the primary information was that he wanted the public to know if they have an addicted family member, he said he wants the public to call 211 to learn about addiction treatment resources. To see the Maine Opioid Response Strategic Action Plan in its entirety, visit http://senate.maine.gov/doc/3853. The task force is now planning their second annual Opioid Crisis Response Summit to be held July 23rd in Bangor to be more accessible to rural and northern Maine. They are expecting an attendance of 1500, an increase over last year’s highly successful summit in Augusta.

First Presidential Primary in Maine in two decades to be held March 3

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Explanation of the process

by Regina Coppens
League of Women Voters of Maine, Capital Area Chapter

The Maine Legislature enacted a Presidential Primary law in 2019, changing the way Maine voters select party candidates for the presidential election from a caucus to a primary. Instead of the political parties meeting in each municipality to select their presidential candidate, candidates will be selected by secret ballot. This change was supported by many who felt that it would boost voter participation in the selection process. In the past, some of the caucus locations were not large enough to accommodate all the party members who wanted to participate, and other party members were unable to spend the hours required at caucuses to cast a vote.

Who can vote in the March 3 election? In addition to the presidential candidates, there will be one referendum question on the ballot. Any registered voter can vote on the referendum question. Voters do not need to be enrolled in a political party to vote on the ballot question.

However, in order to vote in the primaries, you have to register with a party. Unenrolled, or independent voters may enroll in the party of their choice up to and including on Election Day. If, after the election, you want to unenroll from the party, you must wait three months. Voters who are already enrolled and want to change their party affiliation in order to vote a primary ballot must do so 15 days before the election.

Absentee ballots may be requested up to three months before an election and until the third business day prior to the election. For the presidential primaries on March 3, the latest date to request a ballot is February 27, 2020. (Under certain special circumstances, a voter may request an absentee ballot after this deadline.)

Absentee ballots are available 30 days before elections and must be turned into the city or town office by 8 p.m. on the day of the election, March 3.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 Election

The following candidates will be on the ballot in the Maine’s presidential primary according to the Maine Secretary of State’s office:

Democrats: Joseph Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Cory Booker, Peter Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Patrick Deval, Bernard Sanders, Thomas Steyer, Elizabeth Warren, Marianne Williamson, and Andrew Yang.

Republicans: Donald J. Trump

Any registered voter can vote on the referendum question.

Question 1: People’s Veto

Do you want to reject the new law that removes religious and philosophical exemptions to requiring immunization against certain communicable diseases for students to attend schools and colleges and for employees of nursery schools and health care facilities?

What does this People’s Veto mean?

A “Yes” vote means veto the law and reinstate the religious and philosophical exemptions. A “No” vote means keep the law and close those non-medical exemptions.

In May 2019, LD 798 was signed into law. It eliminates non-medical exemptions to school-required immunizations. The law retains the currently defined medical exemptions, but removes “philosophical reasons” and “religious belief” from the exemption language.

The law allows physicians and nurse practitioners to write medical exemptions using their professional judgment.

Regina Coppens is a volunteer with the League of Women Voters, Capital Area Chapter. The league is a non-partisan organization and does not support any candidates. Its goal is to inform voters about elections. Regina Coppens can be contacted at 376 West Rd., Belgrade, ME 04917, 207-877-4282.

Maine Sci-Fi & Fantasy Nerd Festival comes to central Maine

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“Who ya gonna call?” The Ghostbusters were sighted at the first ever Maine Sci-Fi & Fantasy Nerd Festival, held in Fairfield, on January 26. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

Hundreds attend the first ever “Nerd Super Bowl”

by Mark Huard

Emilee Feyler, 9, of Winslow, left, and Mikayla Achorn, 9, also of Winslow, with Elsa from Frozen. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

The first ever Maine Sci-Fi & Fantasy Nerd Festival invaded Central Maine on January 26, at the Community Center, in Fairfield. About 250 fans gathered to share their love of cosplay, comics, games, and all things nerdy.

Costume-goers included Spider-Man, a giant Wookiee, Batman, an Ice Princess, Captain America, Wonder Woman and so many more.

Vendors were all about the event with tables filled with fantasy books, pottery, dice, dungeons and dragons, toys, woodworks, clothing and jewelry. GameStop provided video games, while many other activities dotted the place, one being a very popular padded weapons arena that included light up Star Wars-like laser swords.

Central Maine Photography grabbed many cool pictures of all the various festival attendees and even kids were dressed in elaborate sci-fi outfits. Also present were the Ghostbusters, a white armored trooper, and even a blue female elf character.

People really seemed to love what was being hailed as the Nerd Super Bowl put on by Michael Huard, who is a fantasy author himself.

There are plans for another next year, an event bigger and even more exciting.

Trenton Clark, right, of Oakland, with Chewbacca of Star Wars. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

At left, Preston Schneider, 8, left, and Quincy Schneider, 5, both of Madison, with Batman. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Take control of your future

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To the editor:

It is a stark reality that on average, working households in Maine have just $2,500 in retirement account savings. As the current AARP Volunteer State President, a Portland Maine resident, and a former small business owner, I am very interested in changing this situation.

Our great State of Maine has over 175,000 small businesses who could help provide a mechanism for its employees to begin to save for their own retirement. In our 2020 legislative session, a simple solution to address this growing and critical savings program will be considered. AARP strongly supports LD 594, the Maine Retirement Savings Program, sponsored by Senator Eloise Vitelli (D-Arrowsic).

Under this new law, employers would be able to offer their employees a way to save for retirement through payroll deduction. Employees would be automatically enrolled in this program unless they opted out of it. However, a survey we just released showed that 98 percent of voters in Maine who are working believe it’s important to save for retirement at work. And 84 percent of workers without access to a workplace savings program would take advantage of one if it were available. Over time, even a small contribution can make a big difference.

If you are one of the thousands of Mainers concerned about saving for retirement, please urge your legislators to support LD 594. It’s time for Maine lawmakers to give employees the opportunity to increase their savings and take control of their future.

Pat Pinto
AARP Maine Volunteer State President

Grand Prix races slated for grades 2-5

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Race track ready to go!

A free racecar event will be held at Kennebec Valley Baptist Church, 91 Marston Road, Waterville, on March 14, beginning at 2 p.m. Small wooden car creations built by youngsters age two through grade five with the help of a parent or other adult are raced. Trophies will be awarded for best design and fastest vehicle.

For the first time this year there will be a “race-after-the-race” for youngsters in grade six through adult. The $5 charge covers the cost of the wooden materials used to create the car. A “build day” will be held at the church where tools, building instructions, and helpers will be provided.

The Grand Prix is offered by AWANA, an international youth ministries program. The racecar project began in 1964 and is offered in more than 4,000 churches around the world.

To obtain a car project, folk may fill out a registration form at the church by February 1. The forms are available on Wednesday evenings between 6 and 8 p.m. For more information, call Patrick Simpson at 207-290-0341.

Military widow’s tax repeal signed into law

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James Troiola, chairman of the American Legion’s Legislative Commission, and Maine Senator Susan Collins. (contributed photo)

U.S. Senator Susan Collins recently met with James Troiola, a resident of Windham and the Chairman of The American Legion’s Legislative Commis­sion, in her Washington, D.C., office.

“For more than a century, the American Legion has been committed to ensuring veterans and their families have access to the care and resources they have earned and deserve,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chairman of the American Legion’s Legislative Commission, James is devoted to improving services for veterans across Maine and the nation. I look forward to working with him to ensure our government continues to support our veterans.”

As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Collins secured important funding to improve rural veterans’ access to health care, support veteran caregivers, and decrease veteran homelessness in the final funding package.

Last month, Senators Collins and Doug Jones (D-AL) announced their legislation to repeal the military widow’s tax had been signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The American Legion is the largest wartime veterans service organization with 2.4 million members in more than 12,000 posts in nearly every community in America. The Legion, established by an act of Congress in 1919, was instrumental in getting the original GI Bill through Congress and in the creation of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Kennebec Historical Society receives $5,000 trust grant

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The Kennebec Historical Society has received a $5,000 grant from the Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust to catalog the society’s growing collection, buy archival supplies and replace an aging computer. The society will use the grant to pay two interns who will address the backlog of donated materials and to purchase the protective archival boxes and folders necessary to properly preserve documents, photographs, scrapbooks, maps, manuscripts, books, and ephemera.

The Portland-based Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust was established in 1988 by Joan Morton Kelly and her mother, Mildred Duncan Morton, to facilitate their philanthropic activities, which include educational programs, cultural projects, historic preservation projects and environmental initiatives. The trust considers grants for public programming, capital expenses, and, in some circumstances, operating support, according to its website.

“I’m very pleased and excited that this grant will help assist KHS in preserving, cataloging, and digitizing the society’s collection of Kennebec County history,” said Patsy Crockett, president of the Kennebec Historical Society. She added, “Researchers will be more inclined to find what they are looking for if more items are cataloged.”

Each year, KHS accessions about 200 donations or purchases. An accession can contain from one to thousands of items. Many collections contain hundreds of items that have not been fully cataloged beyond a brief description. The grant provides funds to pay interns who will reduce or eliminate the backlog of donated materials, create more searchable items in the database, and therefore provide better results for researchers. A new computer will be purchased to supplement the society’s goal of replacing computers on a five-year cycle. Indirectly, the grant will allow KHS to continue to offer its free monthly historical programs and continue the production of its bi-monthly newsletter for members.

For more information, please contact Scott Wood, the society’s administrative director, at 622-7718.

Central Maine Youth Hockey Association Mini Mites Black team

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Front row, from left to right, Cedric Carey, Annabelle Mayou, Chase Fay, Parker Watson and Caden Woods. Second row, Gabe Loubier, Martin Laliberty, Hunter Brown, Jacob Cyr and Kaiya Stevens. Back, Coaches James Laliberty and Tyler Brown. Absent from photo, Zekhi Alvarez. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)

KVCOG hires new environmental planner and inaugural membership coodinator

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Left, Gabe Gauvin, KVCOG Environmental Planner, and right, Kate Raymond KVCOG Membership Coordinator.

The Kennebec Valley Council of Governments (KVCOG) is excited to announce that Gabe Gauvin and Kathryn (Kate) Raymond have joined the team!

“My passion for sustainability and waste stream management comes from my time researching the environmental and economic impact of rural Maine recreation events,” said Gabe. “I am eager to utilize my knowledge of sustainable solutions to help KVCOG’s many communities in this significant way.”

Gabe’s background as an educator on environmental, health and economic issues in Maine, and his work in operating Single Sort Recycling programs is what has drawn him to KVCOG. Gabe holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine at Farmington in Outdoor Recreation & Business with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability.

“I am honored to serve KVCOG in such an important role and excited to be returning to my roots in the Kennebec Valley. Together with the KVCOG team, I look forward to working with our many member communities to enhance the region and the lives of those who live here in significant and meaningful ways,” said Kate.

Kate comes to KVCOG with more than ten years of professional non-profit, membership development, and public sector experience. Most recently, Kate has served Maine Historical Society in Portland, ME, as their Donor Relations Manager. She has also served as Membership Program Manager at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA, as Interim Office Manager at Old Fort Western in Augusta, ME, and has years of experience working for the Maine State Parks System and the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Kate holds an M.A. from the University of New Hampshire, and B.A. from the University of Maine.

“I am thrilled to have Gabe and Kate join the KVCOG team. They both bring with them a wealth of expertise and experience and their work will enhance the region and the lives of those who live here in significant and meaningful ways” said Laura Cyr, Executive Director, KVCOG.

2019 Central Maine Youth Hockey Association Yellow Mini Mites

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Front row, from left to right, Bryson Pelotte, Jack Pelotte, Anderson Mcguire and Roman Kinsella. Back, Lydia Hussey, Coach Ashli Hussey, Owen Ment, Amelia Castonguay Tyler Fisher and Kien Mcdonald. Absent from photo, Evelyn Laws, Jace Lopez, Ella Gifford and Coach Micah Cram. (photo by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography)