ME-RAP consistently hears a clear and urgent message from Maine’s recovery community centers: funding is tight, and they’re being asked to do more with less. In response, we partnered with Representative Rana to introduce LD 1714: An Act to Create a Sustainable Funding Source for Recovery Community Centers Using a Percentage of the Adult Use Cannabis Tax Revenue. 

Thanks to a powerful grassroots advocacy campaign led by recovery advocates, we successfully secured $2 million in annual funding for recovery centers across Maine! This funding is expected to become available in early 2026.

This is just one of our wins. Learn more below.

LD 604 represents a critical opportunity to expand access to evidence-based, life-saving treatment for Mainers living with opioid use disorder. Right now, MaineCare policy prevents individuals from receiving methadone treatment and participating in intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) at the same time—despite overwhelming evidence that combining medication and behavioral health support is the most effective approach to long-term recovery.

This bill would remove that barrier and bring MaineCare policy in line with national best practices, allowing people to receive the full spectrum of care they need. ME-RAP heard this need directly in 33 listening sessions held across the state, where impacted individuals voiced frustration at being forced to choose between medication and counseling. Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all—and our systems should reflect that.

ME-RAP proudly supports LD 604 as part of our commitment to ensuring that everyone in Maine has access to comprehensive, compassionate care on their path to recovery.

This is just one of our wins. Learn more below.

Fueled by the leadership and determination of the ME-RAP Youth Caucus, LD 1315 was signed into law—marking another major victory for youth-led advocacy in Maine. Sponsored by Senator Pouliot, this bill requires all public high schools to offer extracurricular instruction on how to administer nasal naloxone, commonly known as Narcan. 

Young people across the state organized, testified, and spoke out with urgency and clarity: they want to save lives, and they need the tools to do it. This law is a direct result of their courage, vision, and refusal to accept preventable overdose deaths as the norm.

This is just one of our wins. Learn more below.

LD 994 marks a critical victory for public health and harm reduction in Maine. Sponsored by Representative McDonald and signed by the Governor, this law eliminates criminal penalties for possessing hypodermic apparatuses and other safe use supplies. Previously, it was illegal to possess more than 10 syringes—placing people at risk of prosecution simply for carrying the tools they need to stay alive.

Now, individuals can legally carry harm reduction supplies without fear, and possession of a residual amount of a scheduled drug in a syringe is no longer considered unlawful possession. This law reflects a growing recognition that criminalizing survival doesn’t save lives—connection, care, and dignity do. ME-RAP proudly supported this legislation as part of our ongoing commitment to advancing evidence-based solutions and fighting stigma with policy change.

This is just one of our wins. Learn more below.

LD 1862 is a groundbreaking step forward in Maine’s fight to save lives—and it wouldn’t have happened without the grassroots power of the #ExpandGoodSam4ME Coalition, co-led by ME-RAP. Sponsored by Senator Maxmin and signed by the Governor, this law builds on Maine’s 2019 Good Samaritan Law by expanding legal protections for people at the scene of an overdose. Now, anyone who is overdosing or rendering aid is protected from arrest or prosecution for non-violent crimes, including bail and probation violations.

This historic win helps remove fear from life-or-death situations, making it safer for people to call 9-1-1 during an overdose. Together, we secured the strongest Good Samaritan law in the nation—because no one should have to choose between saving a life and risking their freedom.

Additionally, ME-RAP stands at the gate to defend the Good Samaritan Law every single time there is an effort to roll back the protections. Thus far we have been successful.

Do you want to be involved in protecting the Good Samaritan Law? Get involved!