Maine Recovery News June 2024

June 2024

Dear Friends,

Across the state, connections are blossoming through recovery support groups and events organized and led by the very participants and members of Maine’s 20 recovery community centers. This summer we celebrate new recovery community centers opening and extending the promise of hope to all those wishing for a brighter tomorrow.

In June, recovery communities are commemorating Pride month. PRCC is looking forward to hosting the 3rd annual Chem-Free Canopy at the Pride! Portland Festival. As summer graces us with its warmer weather, activities such as recovery-friendly music events, 5k runs, cookouts, softball matches, golf tournaments and other events are drawing both young and old, fostering camaraderie through shared experiences and purpose.

There’s an undeniable sense of happiness that permeates at these gatherings. Recovery community events not only uplift spirits, but also serve as poignant reminders of the beauty found in connecting with one another and the resilience of the human spirit. In a world where we have lost so many loved ones to addiction, it fuels our determination to spread the message and help more people find recovery. We hope this glimpse into the vibrant tapestry of community building in Maine brings you as much hope as it does for us.

Kindly,

Leslie Clark

Executive Director

Annual Recovery Leadership Summit held in Denver, Colorado

This year's Recovery Leadership Summit, a national advocacy event hosted by Faces & Voices of Recovery, is currently underway in Denver, Colorado. Team members from Portland Recovery Community Center including Nicole Proctor, Justin Reid, Kristen Beith, and Danielle Megalaitis are looking forward to an enriching conference with opportunities for learning and connection. This year's agenda includes an equity dinner along with workshops and presentations covering topics including advocacy, recovery-friendly workplaces, and statewide recovery community organization coalitions.

Above: RLS started June 2nd in Colorado

Above: The PRCC team refuels after a hiking excursion

Diversifying the Workforce in Treatment: Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School Launches Alternative Admissions Pathway

This spring the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School began permanently offering an “Alternative Admissions Pathway.” This initiative, which ran a pilot program for the past year, is designed to create more opportunities for individuals interested in joining the substance use and mental health workforce but who lack a bachelor's degree. By adopting an equity-centered approach, the school aims to diversify its student body and cater to those with a passion for the field, including those with lived experience in addiction and recovery. Research suggests that providing culturally specific care by professionals who share similar identities with patients enhances satisfaction, retention, and engagement in treatment.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School has a longstanding history, initially established as a counselor training program in 1963. It is the oldest continuously running accredited provider of substance use counselor training in the United States and is affiliated with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, which also marks its 75th anniversary this year.

For those interested in applying through the Alternative Admissions Pathway for the fall 2024 semester, deadlines are July 11 for the Online Master's Program and August 8 for the Hybrid/On-Campus Master's Program in Minnesota.

Pride Month in Recovery

June is Pride month, an annual time to celebrate and honor the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual and two spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) individuals. Pride festivities and events are held in recovery communities throughout Maine.

“Being a Queer person in recovery has some rather unique challenges. The very birthplace of the modern Queer liberation movement took place at a bar (Stonewall Inn). Bars and clubs and the nightlife are still a go-to place where many in our communities come together to celebrate, to find their family, and to feel connected. Accessing those parts of the community can be difficult for people in recovery. The first two iterations of the Chem-Free Canopy have demonstrated how special having a designated sober space at Pride can be,” says James Dillon III, Vice Chair of the Pride Portland! steering committee, member of PRCC's LGBTQIA2S+ committee, and founder of Queercovery.

This year, PRCC’s LGBTQIA2S+ committee is proud to host the 3rd annual Chem-Free Canopy at Pride Portland! Festival, held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 15th at Deering Oaks Park. There will be tie-dying, music, mocktails, and fun for the whole family. A special thank you to PRCC's LGBTQIA2S+ committee, Pride Portland! steering committee, and all the volunteers who make this celebration possible.

To find an event near you, visit the Pride Month Calendar from OUT Maine. Check out this article from The Phoenix with suggestions on safe ways to celebrate Pride while in recovery!

The Power of Healing Arts

Individuals often seek an integrated approach to recovery that encompasses not only physical healing but also addresses their emotional and spiritual well-being. Holistic practices like acupuncture, Reiki, yoga, massage, and Tai Chi offer a complementary path to healing. For people in recovery, healing art modalities offer profound benefits. A wide variety of these services are offered for free at recovery community centers to help to promote self-care, relaxation, and reduce stress to enhance overall well-being.

In partnership with Knox Clinic, Coastal Recovery Community Center hosts "Wellness Wednesdays" in Rockland twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday. The organizations regularly collaborate with various holistic providers in the community to help provide wellness services for those who live in Knox County at no cost. Their event has highlighted different holistic therapies including acupuncture and sound healing. "Free self-care events like those offered during Wellness Wednesday give people in recovery a chance to get centered and feel relaxed," says Erin Hustus, co-director at Coastal Recovery Community Center.

Reiki is a Japanese healing technique offered regularly for members at Portland Recovery Community Center. For individuals recovering from substance use disorder, Reiki can offer a sense of calmness and inner peace. “Reiki is gentle touch that helps you relax. It can bring deep calm and balance with a brief session. It is very popular at PRCC -- every shift books up quickly,” says Jeffrey Hotchkiss, founder at Reiki Community Health & Wellbeing in Portland. Yoga has become widely known in Western culture as a posture-based physical fitness and relaxation activity. Traditional yoga focuses on meditation and breathwork and can serve as a powerful tool for cultivating mindfulness and self-awareness. At Portland Recovery Community Center, Sea Change Yoga provides free trauma-informed yoga classes for people in recovery and allies. The HILLS Recovery Center and Larry Labonte Recovery Center each offer beginner yoga classes at no cost once a week.

Massage therapy is renowned for its ability to promote relaxation, relieve muscle tension, and improve circulation. By releasing endorphins and reducing cortisol levels, massage therapy can help alleviate anxiety. "One of the main complicated factors faced by those in any stage of recovery is effectively managing various forms of stress. Taking many forms, and oftentimes heightened in those working through a recovery program, stress can have a major impact on how our bodies and brains react to even the simplest of daily challenges, such as a rude driver pulling out in front of us, time management, or potentially mending implications from our former lives in struggle. Massage therapy carries centuries-long respect for its unique ability to lower stress levels, provide critical relaxation, and ease some of the musculoskeletal pain and tension that can result from living under even low-grade stress," says Molly Nelson, who offers free chair massage sessions to members at Portland Recovery Community Center ever Tuesday.

According to Harvard Medical School, research shows that Tai Chi can help treat and prevent many health problems, as outlined in the book "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind." The mind-body practice originated in China as a martial art and involves slow, flowing movements coordinated with deep breathing and mindfulness. These practices aim to balance the body's energy, or Qi, promoting health and vitality. Rick Stoker, who leads a weekly Tai Chi and Qigong class at Portland Recovery Community Center, has been studying the practices for over 25 years. He says, "I was able to go inside and make significant discoveries of self and then focus on how I connected to, well, everything. The byproduct was an authentic, personal spiritual experience which continues to deepen as I practice daily."

All of these modalities complement traditional treatments and empower individuals to reclaim their health and well-being. As more research emerges on the efficacy of these practices in recovery from substance use, it is essential to recognize and integrate alternative therapies into comprehensive treatment plans, ensuring that individuals receive the holistic support they desire to thrive on their path of recovery. Be sure to check out the calendar at your local recovery community center to stay up to date on their latest offerings.

New England NARR Regional Conference held in Maine

Last month, Portland Recovery Community Center partnered with Maine Association of Recovery Residences to host the inaugural National Alliance of Recovery Residences Regional Conference for New England affiliates on May 10th. “The first-ever New England NARR Affiliates Regional Conference was a huge success, in large part due to the fantastic venue and welcoming staff. Our vendors and sponsors were thrilled with the turnout and the opportunity to network with the attendees and other providers,” said Dr. Ron Springel, Executive Director of MARR.

Some highlights from the packed agenda included a presentation from Dr. Oce Harrison, Recovery Residences, the ADA and Fair Housing, breakout sessions with a house manager discussion panel and multiple pathways of recovery overview, Gretchen Ziemer from Health Equity Alliance presenting on gender identity in recovery residences, and keynote speaker David Sheridan sharing about NARR Past, Present and Future with an emphasis on the new ASAM criteria.

Above: Staff from NE NARR Affiliates (MA, ME, NH, VT) with David Sheridan (NARR President) and David Johnson (CEO, Fletcher Group)

Above: New England NARR affiliates include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont

This month, World Recovery Café is hosting Native/Indigenous/Indian café series. A world café is a structured, conversational process for knowledge sharing in which groups discuss a topic at several small tables, like those in a café! Looking ahead to July, the monthly World Café series will bring together Black/Brown/POC people in recovery. Following Sunday's event on July 7th, there will be weekly breakfast recovery café meetings held on Friday mornings that promote conversation, understanding, and connection. The Friday recovery café meetings take place at Portland Recovery Community Center, are open to anyone in the recovery community, and do not require registration.

If you are a POC in recovery, please join us for the World Café event on Sunday, July 7th from 12-3 pm. Engage in conversation and enjoy a meal together. Your voice matters!

Please RSVP by Friday, July 5th at 10am. You can access the interest form by clicking here: https://forms.office.com/r/Fz9uWYQzwb

Treating Tobacco Together

This past month, the Maine Recovery Hub and PRCC partnered with the Center for Tobacco Independence to present information to recovery coaches on providing referrals and resources to individuals with SUD who are curious about their relationship with tobacco and nicotine. The learning collaborative session initiated open conversation and inspired peer support workers to share personal stories, what they're encountering in the field, and engage in nicotine cessation services themselves.

Several staff from recovery community centers also recently participated in the “Treating Tobacco Together” training series through the Center for Tobacco Independence to gain skills and knowledge about motivational interviewing, nicotine replacement therapy, and other modalities that can best help and support people. This year’s Tobacco Treatment and Prevention Conference will be held in South Portland on June 5th and bring together nationally recognized speakers and local experts to discuss a wide array of treatment and prevention topics, the latest research, and innovative approaches to tobacco use.

This work is made possible through grant funding from the MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence in an initiative to support tobacco recovery at recovery community centers. PRCC, BARN and INSPIRE are collaborating with the Maine QuitLink to provide coaching and tools for members.

1st Mile Active Recovery celebrates ribbon cutting in Fort Kent

On Friday, May 17th, 1st Mile Active Recovery had their official ribbon cutting ceremony. The new recovery community center is located Fort Kent, Maine, and serves the St. John Valley. The Greater Fort Kent Community showed up to celebrate and support the new center, enjoying food, music, and fellowship. "Honestly, we are so lucky to have the opportunity to serve this community, especially a demographic of people often misrepresented. Our goal is to offer not only support for our community, but also hope. We've learned that people often just need someone to believe in them and we are in the habit of believing in people. It's never too late for change, it's never too late to make the next right decision. And we're here for it,” says Danielle Forino, founder of 1st Mile Active Recovery.

The recovery community center opened its doors in January and has been operating on volunteer and locally raised funds. They have been able to provide a variety of services for their community including recovery coaching, weekly community meals, and several peer-led meetings.1st Mile Active Recovery is a service of Michael's Active Recovery, a non-profit started in the name of the founder’s son, who was lost to an overdose last August. The recovery community center is open Monday through Saturday and located at 229 West Main St Suite 104 in Fort Kent.

Follow 1st Mile Active Recovery on Facebook to keep up with the latest happenings.

The Maine Recovery Council is still accepting Letter of Intent submissions for its first community grant application, which seeks to provide funding for opioid abatement and remediation programs and activities. The Council has selected to fund Treatment, Recovery Support, and Harm Reduction projects for this first application cycle, with the goal of providing $12 million for projects in Maine.

Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent by Friday, June 28 at 4:59pm EST to be considered for the grant application. The Council will review completed Letter of Intent submissions and selected applicants will then be invited to apply for grant funding. Visit their website to learn more.

What's New

Check out upcoming events around the state - click to learn more!

Building Recovery Community Throughout Maine

This newsletter allows us to connect with you, our Maine recovery community. Whether you're a person in recovery, family member, or ally, you are part of the solution to addiction. Published on a regular basis and sent via email, this newsletter provides updates and gives you an opportunity to help support recovery and spread the message of hope throughout the state of Maine. To learn more about PRCC, whose programs are funded in part by the Maine Department of Health & Human Services, visit our website. Please send any feedback or information you'd like us to include to newsletter@portlandrecovery.org.