About Caring for ME
The current opioid and heroin epidemic in Maine presents an enormous public health challenge and requires creative, collaborative, and innovative approaches. With hundreds of Mainers dying from drug overdose every year and thousands of Mainers actively suffering from addiction, this issue calls for immediate and collective action. Maine is a strong and resilient state and can successfully address this epidemic by bringing together our clinicians and communities, building on our unique strengths, and committing our shared leadership and compassion to protect the health and well-being of people in our state.
Recognizing the need for creative and bold solutions, Maine Quality Counts and the Maine Medical Association launched “Caring for ME”, a collaborative effort that aims to bring together a wide set of partners to promote shared messages, educational resources, and practical tools for health care providers. The goals of Caring for ME are to support prevention efforts; maintain a compassionate and trauma-informed approach to chronic pain management; improve the safety of opioid prescribing; appropriately diagnose addiction when it exists; and improve access to effective treatments for patients with substance use disorder.
