An Act Regarding the Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care

CONCEPT DRAFT SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to provide support for persons with substance use disorder along a continuum of care that includes prevention, law enforcement diversion, treatment, harm reduction and recovery. The bill proposes to provide:

1. Funding for programs that reduce the use of marijuana and so-called "vaping" by youth in Maine in order to reduce the likelihood of neural pathway changes that can lead to addiction later in life;

2. Ongoing support for detoxification as a path to recovery;

3. Reimbursement under the MaineCare program for substance use disorder peer recovery coaches;

4. Funding to the Bangor Area Recovery Network for addiction recovery support;

5. Support for regional 2-1-1 hotlines to offer referrals to persons with substance use disorder for local services; and

6. Access to evidence-based approaches to prevent substance use and treat substance use disorder in rural areas.