Lincoln County Recovery Collaborative

Training to assist people with substance abuse

Thu, 09/15/2016 - 8:30am

GINA HAMILTON

Lincoln County Recovery Collaborative signing ceremony in July. File photo

Sen. Chris Johnson (D-Somerville) announced that the first ‘Angel’ training to assist people suffering from addiction will be held on Monday, Sept. 19 at the Damaricotta Town Hall from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in the possibility of volunteering to help people get into drug treatment when they seek help from law enforcement agencies in Lincoln County should come to the meeting, or contact Karen-Ann Hagar at khagar@clcymca.org or 563-3477.

The first meeting will include procedures and other details of the Lincoln County Recovery Collaborative.

Eric Haram, the Executive Director of Outpatient Treatment at Mid Coast Hospital's Addiction Resource Center (ARC) will lead the training, and many members of the steering committee, consisting of representatives from police departments, the sheriff’s office, LincolnHealth, and YMCA, will be present.

Law enforcement officers will also be receiving training later in the week. With the signed agreement in hand, the steering committee has been working on processes, documentation, and planning training of both law enforcement and civilians so that the agency can begin accepting individuals seeking help with addiction at all police departments and the sheriff’s office.

Angels will be the first contact with addicts seeking help. Angels will come to be with the person and help him or her find treatment, either inpatient or outpatient, in Lincoln County, likely at either ARC or LincolnHealth. The Angel will also follow up and help the person get to treatment appointments or find transportation if necessary. At least two dozen people expressed interest in becoming angels at a meeting last winter at the CLC YMCA, but it has taken several months to organize the collaborative and prepare to receive patients.

The collaborative held a signing ceremony on July 15, in which all police departments and the Sheriff’s Office, and the health care agencies and the YMCA agreed to partner together to help people suffering from addiction. Since then, the agency has been working on the administrative items necessary to become a nonprofit agency, and developing its organization.