A note from Tess

Friends,

 

June is Pride Month, a time to honor the activists who came before us, celebrate the progress we have made, and recognize the work that remains to build a more equitable future.

 

When the HIV/AIDS crisis devastated communities, ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) and LGBTQIA+ activists refused to stay silent. They organized, advocated, cared for one another, and demanded dignity, treatment, and justice when too many institutions failed to act.

 

That legacy continues today. We fight for people directly impacted by substance use disorder. We fight for equality under the law and in practice. We fight for healthcare, housing, and the right of every person to be treated with dignity and respect.

 

This Pride Month has us thinking a lot about LD 1328. Had this bill been signed into law last year, Maine would have established a dedicated funding source to support recovery residences specifically designed to meet the needs of underserved and underrepresented communities, including our LGBTQ neighbors struggling with SUD.

 

We need more recovery housing options that address the unique challenges faced by people who have experienced stigma, prejudice, and discrimination. Despite the hard work and advocacy of people with lived experience, Rep. Osher, and many dedicated allies, LD 1328 was ultimately vetoed.

 

We have more work to do next session. We will continue pushing for policies that expand access to recovery residences and ensure that everyone has the support they need to heal and thrive.

 

On a personal note, I am proud every day to be a member of the LGBTQ community and a person with lived experience of SUD. Happy Pride!

 

With love and solidarity,

 

Tess Parks
ME-RAP Policy Director

Opioid Settlement Funds

Increased Transparency

The spending of opioid settlement funds should never be a mystery. The public deserves to know how these funds are being used to mitigate Maine's opioid crisis. We have and will continue to demand transparency in all OSF spending decisions.

MOSS (Maine Opioid Settlement Support Center) has launched an OSF Spending Dashboard.

This dashboard provides an overview of funds received, funds spent, and funds remaining of the Maine Recovery Council, the Office of the Maine Attorney General, and any towns, cities, and counties that receive OSF.

MOSS OSF Spending Dashboard

calling all aroostook county organizers!

Local and State OSF Updates

  • Aroostook County: County Commissioners voted to use $209,128 in opioid settlement funds to hire a school resource officer who will rotate among central Aroostook County schools. The funding will provide $153,158 for the position, including salary, medical insurance and state retirement, and $56,000 for resources including a vehicle, gas, uniforms and training. See Call to Action above!
  • Falmouth: The Town Council allocated $107,000 in opioid settlement funds to Falmouth schools for substance misuse prevention and mental health support, including partnership with Jed Foundation for surveys/prevention planning and support for Active Minds student advocacy programming.
  • Office of the Maine Attorney General: Attorney General Frey announced $1,000,000 in OSF to the Kittery-based Mainspring collaborative (Fair Tide and Footprints) to expand integrated recovery supports, including case management, housing services, food access, outreach, coordinated data systems, and recovery support services for individuals impacted by SUD.


summer listening sessions

Your voice matters. Our summer community listening sessions guide our advocacy efforts and help shape our policy priorities for the years ahead, both locally and in the Legislature. Together, we'll create a 2027–2028 policy platform rooted in lived experience and focused on building healthier, stronger communities for all. Learn more below!

RSVP for an Upcoming Listening Session!

If your organization is interested in hosting a community listening session with ME-RAP this summer, please contact tess@me-rap.org!

132nd legislative report & scorecard

In case you missed it, we want to share with you our 2026 ME-RAP Legislative Report & Scorecards: 132nd Legislature. This report outlines our statewide policy work to address the needs, barriers, and hopes of Mainers impacted by SUD. Inside, you’ll find summaries of our priority legislation and other key bills from this past session, including what each bill proposed, our position, and its final outcome.


We hope you will consider this guide when getting to know the candidates running for the Maine State House and Senate this November. The report also includes legislative scorecards that measure how often lawmakers voted in alignment with our policy positions on priority bills.

2026 ME-RAP Legislative Report & Scorecards

Join the statewide Organizing Team

Interested in joining our statewide organizing team? Want to get involved with our advocacy and legislative work? Register to attend an onboarding session to the ME-RAP organizing team to review the work that we do as a team, your responsibilities as a volunteer organizer, and next steps. Attendance at one onboarding session is required to join the team. Register for an upcoming onboarding session today!