Month: <span>September 2023</span>

Central Platform for Substance Use Disorder Information and Resources

On behalf of the Aroostook Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (ACORP), Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC) is pleased to introduce Share Facts Save Lives, a website and social media platform dedicated to sharing substance use disorder information and resources, including harm reduction, prevention, treatment, recovery support, and ending stigma.

“It is fitting that we launch Share Facts Save Lives in September, which is designated National Recovery Month,” said Deb Jacques, AMHC Director of Marketing and Development. “This website and social media platform provide visitors with education and resources based on facts, evidence-based practices, and more.”

The goal of Share Facts Save Lives is to lower the mortality and morbidity of substance use disorder in Aroostook County by improving the public’s understanding of the science behind addiction, empowering youth to make healthy choices, connecting families to resources through 2-1-1 and OPTIONS, recognizing the signs and symptoms of overdose, sharing the benefits of naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, and the Good Samaritan Law, and providing inspiring stories of individuals in recovery, for more information visit www.sharefactssavelives.org.

Share Facts Save Lives was developed with funding through a federal grant from the Department of Health Resources and Services Administration. It was supported by the Aroostook Communities Opioid Response Program (ACORP), which includes AMHC, Northern Light AR Gould Hospital, Houlton Regional Hospital, Cary Medical Center, Northern Maine Medical Center, The Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Mi’kmaq Behavioral Health Center, and our local recovery community.

About AMHC
Celebrating nearly 60 years, AMHC is a nonprofit organization supporting up to 5,500 clients annually. The agency has 26 service sites and 350 employees across Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties, providing mental health, substance use, crisis, sexual assault services, and traumatic brain injury (Aroostook). For more information, connect with AMHC at www.amhc.org.

This event was supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant #GA1RH42873‐01‐00. The information, conclusions, and opinions expressed in this product are those of the authors, and no endorsement by FORHP, HRSA, or HHS is intended or should be inferred.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and Aroostook Mental Health Services, Inc. (AMHC) encourages everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of suicidal thoughts and what to do and not do in response to helping a loved one.

“According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, on average, one person died by suicide every 32 hours in the State of Maine in 2020,” explains Sarah Wright, Director of Crisis Services. “Maine is ranked 15^th in the nation for its suicide rate; it is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-34 and ages 35-54.”

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) says the following warning signs could signal that someone is experiencing suicidal ideation (thoughts about suicide):

• Comments like “I wish I weren’t here” or “Nothing matters”
• Increased alcohol and drug use
• Aggressive behavior
• Withdrawal from friends, family, and community
• Dramatic mood swings
• Impulsive or reckless behavior

NAMI offers this advice: If your friend or family member struggles with suicidal ideation daily, let them know they can talk with you about what they are going through. Make sure that you adopt an open and compassionate mindset when they are talking. Instead of “arguing” or trying to disprove any negative statements they make, try active listening techniques such as reflecting on their feelings and summarizing their thoughts. This approach can help your loved one feel heard and validated.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, AMHC is available to anyone in Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties. To access AMHC’s Mobile Crisis Services team, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or the Maine Crisis Line at 1-888-568-1112.

Celebrating nearly 60 years, AMHC is a nonprofit organization supporting up to 5,500 clients annually. The agency has 26 service sites and 350 employees across Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties, providing mental health, substance use, crisis, sexual assault services, and traumatic brain injury (Aroostook). For more information, connect with AMHC at www.amhc.org.