Research and Needs Assessment
In 2016, the Maine State Legislature passed LD 1537, “An Act to Combat Drug Addiction through Enforcement, Prevention, Treatment and Recovery” (Public Law 378), which provides funding for the establishment and expansion of peer support recovery centers, among other initiatives. As a result of this legislation, the Maine Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHS) asked AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc. (AdCare), who worked with the Co-Occurring Collaborative Serving Maine (CCSME) and the Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services, Maine (AAMHS), to conduct a needs assessment of recovery services and supports in each of Maine’s nine public health districts.
Peer Recovery Center Report
An extensive report was produced in response to that needs assessment, which was conducted in the spring and summer of 2016. The report is an overview of peer recovery centers (PRCs) as they currently operate both in the State of Maine and nationally. It explores the structure and program design, history, and origins of peer support and then goes on to describe the actual implementation of those principles in select PRCs throughout the country. The report moves from the general to the particular in exploring how various centers use peer support principles in ways that are typical of all programs, and also in ways that are innovative and unique to specific environments and cultures. Finally, the report looks to the status of PRCs in Maine with an eye to exploring the ways that service innovation may address gaps in services and the specific needs of a rural state.
Two Maine Recovery Centers
Portland Recovery Community Center (PRCC)
The PRCC is a safe haven for people in addiction recovery and offers a home for meetings and activities devoted to addiction recovery. It is operated by staff and volunteers who are passionate about recovery, and every activity is designed to help people with their daily recovery efforts.
Bangor Area Recovery Network (BARN)
BARN is a recovery center completely run by volunteers, which offers addiction recovery support to local individuals while also standing with them as community allies to improve health, wellness, and quality of life.