At Opioid Response Summit, Governor Mills Urges Maine People to Recommit to Fighting Substance Use Epidemic

While data show continued decline in overdose deaths in Maine, Governor warns 'we can't get complacent'

During remarks today at the seventh annual Governor's Opioid Response Summit, Governor Janet Mills welcomed data showing that overdose deaths continue to decline in Maine but urged attendees to maintain the fight against the opioid epidemic.

The Governor reported that fatal overdoses have fallen by more than 20 percent to 213 from January to June 2025, continuing a trend of declining deaths since last year, when Maine recorded its largest decrease in drug overdose deaths since 2018. As of the end of May, non-fatal overdoses have also decreased by more than 18 percent to 2,901.

"This is welcome news, but we know we can't get complacent," said Governor Janet Mills. "Every overdose is a warning sign."

The Governor welcomed the lives saved and significant progress achieved through prevention, naloxone distribution, treatment and recovery support, housing and workforce initiatives, and drug seizures. At the same time, she urged Maine people to recommit to supporting those on the path to recovery.

"We know that connection is the cure to the opioid crisis," the Governor added. "Today community members across the State of Maine, including the 1,000 people gathered here today and the people watching on the livestream at home, recommit to supporting people as they start, stumble, or resume their recovery and to responding to new waves of the opioid epidemic as they ebb and flow to save lives."

The annual summit, held at the Augusta Civic Center and themed "Sustaining Progress through Prevention, Perseverance, and Passion," brought together members of the public, health care providers, policy experts, state and federal government leaders, affected individuals and families, advocates, and law enforcement officials to discuss strategies to help Maine people impacted by the opioid crisis.

"The declining number of overdoses and overdose deaths in Maine is reason for hope that our collective efforts are helping turn the tide against this epidemic," said Gordon Smith, Director of Opioid Response. "By working closely with partners across the state, we can maintain this momentum with continued commitment. We will continue to do everything we can to help prevent people from using drugs, ensure that people can get into treatment and recovery, and most importantly, save lives."

"The data confirms that prevention, treatment, recovery support, and harm reduction work, but only when we work together," said DHHS Commissioner Sara Gagné-Holmes. "We'll build on this progress by continuing to learn from front-line teams, partnering with local leaders, reinforcing our infrastructure -- including preserving Medicaid access -- and ensuring that help is never out of reach."

During today's summit, Governor Mills honored Leslie Clark and Peter Bruun with the Governor's Award for their extraordinary contributions in the fight against substance use disorder.

Leslie Clark served as a long-time leader of people in recovery as Executive Director of the Portland Recovery Community Center. While she is retiring from that role, she will remain as one of the Governor's appointees on the Substance Use Disorder Services Commission.

Peter Brunn last year organized the "19 Towns, 19 Stories" project, which featured an in-person event in each of the 19 towns in Lincoln County in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Month. Brunn, who lost his daughter, Elisif, 11 years ago to an overdose, organizes events for people to mourn the loss of their loved ones with the support of their communities.

The daylong summit featured 24 breakout sessions moderated by experts on issues including prevention, treatment, addiction research, harm-reduction, public policy, and recovery support. Nabarun Dasgupta, PhD, MPH, a scientist honored on the 2023 TIME100 Next list of rising global leaders who amplify community and patient voices in public health, and Ryan Hampton, a prominent advocate, speaker, author, and media commentator on addiction and recovery, delivered keynote addresses.

Under Governor Mills' leadership, the state has taken significant actions to save lives from opioids, including:

• Providing health insurance coverage through MaineCare expansion to over 100,000 Mainers, with more than 31,000 individuals receiving treatment for substance use;
• Expanding treatment for substance use and opioid use disorder with increases in Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), and increasing Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) and waivered providers across the state;
• Recruiting and training of over 2,000 recovery coaches;
• Increasing the number of Recovery Community Centers and Certified Recovery Residences across the state, with over 75 percent of Certified Recovery Residences supporting residents on medication for substance use disorders;
• Establishing the OPTIONS Program statewide, including adding recovery coaches to OPTIONS teams in Maine to work alongside local emergency services and law enforcement to provide therapeutic interventions, outreach, referrals and post-overdose follow-up for individuals;
• Developing Maine's statewide naloxone distribution program and increasing distribution of naloxone by over 200 percent from 2020 to 2024. Since 2019, the Mills Administration has distributed more than 648,000 doses of naloxone, which has been used to reverse 11,393 overdoses that may have otherwise been fatal;
• Expanding Maine's "Good Samaritan" law, first signed by Governor Mills in 2019, which encourages individuals to call for life-saving assistance when someone at their location is experiencing an overdose;
• Providing funding for medically monitored withdrawal beds through the Office of Behavioral Health to support room and board and other costs not covered by MaineCare;
• Dedicating $1 million to purchase and distribute test strips for the powerful sedative xylazine, a growing contributor to overdoses in Maine;
• Vastly expanding team-based treatment of opioid use disorder for eligible MaineCare members and uninsured individuals through Opioid Health Homes;
• Establishing Recovery Friendly Workplaces, with 73 businesses that employ 11,000 employees now certified.