 Recovery Month 2009: Wrap Up
Thanks to Deb Dettor, Coordinator Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery (MAAR) for this recap!
Recovery spirit was alive & visible during Recovery Month 2009 throughout Maine. This year saw a variety of recovery activities as well as participation in a major national event. Event planners for all of these are pleased about the turn out and success of each celebration this year! Here's a summary of the events:
Bangor: On 9/10, 150 people participated in the Bangor Recovery Summit at the Civic Center which focused on the community's role in supporting recovery. There were great discussions between panelists & attendees throughout the day. FMI about the Bangor Area Recovery Communities Coalition (BARCC) website.
 A & E's Recovery Rally: On 9/12, Deb Dettor served as Maine Delegate at the A & E Recovery Rally across the Brooklyn Bridge, walking with 10,000 people from across the country to demonstrate that Recovery Works! To see the pictures, visit: A & E's Recovery Rally Page.
Auburn: On 9/13, Catholic Charities hosted the 3rd annual Walk for Recovery in Auburn. They look forward to growing this event even more next year! FMI visit Catholic Charities' website.
China Lake: On 9/19, a daylong Recovery Leadership Retreat was held at China Lake Conference Center, where 38 people enjoyed indoor & outdoors recovery workshops together. All the planners and participants expressed their enthusiasm & commitment to joining in the next recovery retreat MAAR will host.
 Portland: On 9/23, Portland's Overdose Prevention Project held its Annual Recovery & Wellness Resource Fair. Twenty-four providers (some veteran, some new!) and close to 75 participants celebrated recovery with donations from Hannaford, Shaws, Flatbread Pizza, Healthy Portland, Shalom House, Catholic Charities, Coffee By Design and Whatever Works. Click HERE for a quick slideshow of the event.
Visit the RecoveryMonth.gov website for a pictures and summaries of all the national events.Want to know more about the Maine Recovering Communities Coalition? Visit the Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery's website or contact Deb Dettor at (207) 458-4366.
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 Portland Medication Collection Event: October 8, 2009
The Cumberland District Public Health Council event, in collaboration with the
Portland Public Health Division, Portland Police Department, Woodfords Family Services, Merrimack River Medical Services, and Northern New England Poison Control Center was held to keep unused meds off the street and out of our water supply.
Here are the details of the collection event:
Participants: 100+
Volume of Non-controlled Substances (incl inhalers): 113 gallons
Weight of Non-Controlled Substances (incl inhalers): 212 lbs.
Needles/sharps: ~45
Controlled substances (pills & patches): 2939
Controlled substances (liquids): 1536 mL
Average Wholesale Price of Controlled Substances: $4,997.34
Street Value of Controlled Substances (pills & patches): $125,031.48 to $146,946.48
Street Value of Controlled (liquids):$11,560.50
Total Street Value of Controlled:$136,591.98 to $158,508.98
Typical # of years stored: 1-2 years
Click HERE for the WCSH6 News story about the eventClick HERE for a slide show of photos from the eventLearn more about Safe Meds for MERead the FDA's guidelines for disposal of the 26 medications they recommend flushing (and why) |
2009 International Symposium on Pharmaceuticals in the Home & Environment
7th Annual Maine Benzodiazepine Study Group Conference & 6th Annual Unused Drug Return Conference: October 18-20, 2009
 The conference offered participants the opportunity to learn, share ideas, and network with an international gathering of authorities and other stakeholders on the major issues and challenges surrounding prescription drug use, misuse, abuse, return, and disposal. View the conference program HERE.
From Maine's Attorney General Janet Mills, symposium speaker on "Rx Drugs: Abuse & Diversion - The Regulatroy & Enforcement View"
*Rx drug abuse is a national epidemic and impacts aspects of the State's many branches including public safety, child protective services, Department of Environmental Protection, MaineCare (fraud), suspicious deaths, drug trafficking, mental health, and diversion.
*There were 31 homicides in Maine in 2008 and 6 murders in the past 18 months were over Rx drugs.
*There were 464 drug-affected babies born in Maine in 2008, most of them were in the northern, more rural parts of the State.
*The State has many initiatives targeting these issues such as: The Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP), LD 1193 establishing a uniform prescribing protocol for all health professionals (veterinarians, osteopaths, primaries, etc), and the Healthcare Crimes Unit .
*Read the AG's June 2009 speech to the Maine Medical Association (with an explanation of Maine's drug problem) HERE
Conference Topics, Speakers & Downloads
History of Tranquilizers Since the Civil War (Dr. Benjamin Crocker, MMC), An Update on Benzo Prescribing Guidelines (Dr. James Berry, Mercy Hospital), Psychopharmocology in Maine Correctional Facilites (Steven Sherrets, DHHS), Death, Diversion & Disposal: Utah Case Study (Leah Ann Lamb, UT Division of Water Quality), Changing Epidemiological Patterns in the Misuse and Abuse of Pharmaceuticals (Dr. Marcella Sorg, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center), A Summary of Benzo Prescribing Data During the Last Five Years (Dr. Timothy Clifford, Goold Health Systems)
*Download the NDIC's 2009 National Drug Threat Survey Assessment HERE
*Read about Project Stewardship and Maine's LD 821, An Act to Support Collection & Proper Disposal of Unwanted Drugs
*Click HERE for pictures of the posters on exhibit
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New Education Tool for Prescription
Drug Safety
"Take As Directed:
An educational video about using medicines safely and getting rid of them properly"
A new 9-minute video/DVD that can be used in health care provider offices, classrooms, or social service agencies is available either on You Tube or as a DVD.
This tool, developed by the Kennebec County Drug Overdose Prevention Task Force provides viewers with 3 clear messages:
1. Take Medications as Prescribed
2. Don't Share
3. Don't Flush
This message is targeted to people who are prescribed pain medications - and their family members. It has already been used to spark meaningful discussion among social service agency staff and among people at high-risk for overdose.
View the video on YouTube
To obtain a copy of the free DVD, contact Jayne Harper at
or (207) 621-3740.
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Next Meeting
As we continue to explore meeting structure options, our next meeting date and location have yet to be determined.
We will let you know as soon as we set a date.
If you attended our October 21, 2009 meeting @ MMC, we are gathering feedback. Please take our brief survey:
CLICK HERE
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Treatment & Recovery Resources
SAMHSA
Treatment Locator
National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment
Patient/Physician Matching System
Maine Office of Substance Abuse
Info & Resource Center
1-800-499-0027 (In-State Only) or 207-287-8900
Faces & Voices of Recovery
NA Maine
HelpLine 1-800-974-0062
AA Maine
24-Hotline 1-800-737-6237 or 207-774-4335
Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery
(207) 458-4366
Crossroads for Women
(207) 773-9931
Merrimack River Medical Services
(207) 221-2292
PROP/The Women's Project
(Portland) 1-800-611-1588 or (Statewide) 1-800-611-1779
CAP Quality Care
(207) 856-7227
Mercy Recovery Center
(207) 857-8282
Discovery House
(207) 774-7111
Catholic Charities
(207) 775-5671
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