October 2026 newsletter

Access to lifesaving care is on the ballot.

Dear Maine’s Recovery Community,

 

Access to healthcare, harm reduction, and recovery services is at stake in communities across Maine. Up and down the ballot, the choices voters make this fall will shape our ability to protect public health, save lives, and ensure that Mainers can access needed care.


One local ballot question deserves particular attention: Lewiston Question 1, which would impose significant new restrictions on the city’s syringe service program.

 

Specifically, it would:

  • Require a strict one-for-one exchange, meaning participants must return a used syringe to receive a sterile one.
  • Cap access at 20 syringes per person per day.
  • Require each provider to operate from a single fixed location.
  • Prohibit all mobile syringe service units.

These restrictions would create undue barriers to lifesaving services that prevent disease, reduce overdose deaths, connect people to treatment and recovery, and keep used syringes out of public spaces. These proposed changes go against evidence-based practices.

 

ME-RAP proudly stands with the Safe & Healthy Maine campaign and the many Lewiston residents, families, healthcare providers, elected officials, organizations, faith leaders, and allies that are calling for services to be grounded in evidence, not stigma or politics.


If you live in Lewiston, make a plan to vote No on Question 1 between now and November 3.


If you live outside of Lewiston, help spread the word about what is at stake and share the Safe & Healthy Maine campaign’s website with your networks.



What happens in Lewiston matters beyond city limits. Question 1 could set a dangerous precedent for using local referendums to impose restrictions that undermine established public health practices.

 

All of us can do our part by signing-up for an upcoming canvass or virtual phone-banking shift! No experience is necessary, training will be provided, and folks are welcome to come for however long they can volunteer. 

 

Canvassing Schedule in Lewiston

  • Sundays, 1pm-4pm 
  • Mondays, 10am-2pm
  • Wednesdays, 1pm-7pm
  • Thursdays, 1pm-7pm

Phonebanking 

  • Thursdays, 6pm-8pm (Virtual)
  • Fridays, 5pm-7pm (virtual)

From the state level to our local communities, we must protect the progress we have made. Vote like lives depend on it, because they do.

 

In Relentless Solidarity,

 

Tess Parks

ME-RAP Policy Director

Follow Safe & Healthy Maine on Facebook Canvass & Phonebank with No on 1!

Get out the RECOVERY vote!

With just weeks away from Election Day, do you have a plan to vote?

  • Mainers can vote early in-person or request an absentee ballot between now until October 29.
  • Check your local town and city website for early voting hours.
  • We have dropped a link below to request an absentee ballot.
  • Use the link below to find your polling location.


Remember Maine has same-day voter registration on Election Day!

Opioid settlement funds

LOcal & statewide OSF UPdates

  • City of Augusta: The Augusta City Council recently appropriated OSF to installing lock boxes in ambulances due to a a new federal mandate that requires opioids to be securely locked in ambulances. Failing to comply with this mandate leads to the risk of losing EMT licenses.
  • City of Bangor: The Bangor City Council ultimately opted to decline allocating $126,000 in OSF toward the Bangor Public Health Dept. for Housing Opportunities for People in Encampments. MaineHousing had offered to fund 70% of the program. The City is currently discussing what process they will use for making future rounds of OSF allocations. 
  • City of Rockland: On Election Day, Rockland voters will have a non-binding referendum on the municipal ballot that includes options of groups seeking OSF. The potential options include: $7,500 to the Emergency Warming Center; $11,800 to the Mid-Coast Recovery Coalition for its scholarship bed program; $5,000 to Metro Treatment of Maine for the SAFE Program to provide lock boxes to patients receiving treatment to secure medications; and $7,500 to Homeworthy for transportation support. Rockland students who are city residents and are 16 or older are eligible to vote. Rather than requiring parents to provide permission, the process allows parents to opt their child out if they do not want them to vote.
  • Hancock County: The Hancock County OSF Committee is currently accepting applications for their funding RFP until October 23, 2026. The group is on track to have applications scored and submit recommendations to the commissioners before the holidays. The grant cycle is slated to run from Jan 1-Dec 31, 2027. You can access more information and the RFP application here.
  • Maine Recovery Council: Following the completion of the Androscoggin County community needs assessment, the Council approved Healthy Androscoggin’s request to use $200,000 of their remaining funds to subcontract with Community Concepts Inc. to implement a project that expands family centered, prevention, support and engagement services through the Lewiston Family Resources Center. Community coalition grant applications are currently in the review phase with awards anticipated to be finalized at the November MRC meeting. 
  • Washington County: The WC OSF meets monthly on the second Wednesday of each month at 1:00pm. During the September 9th meeting the group worked on the RFP application with many discussions. At the October meeting, the group finalized the application and process and are hoping to have notice to go out and begin accepting applications by December 1. There have been concerns raised regarding transparency due to the lack of public notice for these meetings.

Maine Receives 1115 Waivers for Treatment in Jails and Prisons

At the end of September, Maine received approval for a federal waiver from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that will allow jails and prisons to bill MaineCare for certain medical and behavioral healthcare services provided to individuals who are incarcerated.


This is big news for future OSF spending decisions.

This waiver will reduce the local financial share of current services such as medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder and other programs not yet offered, including case management, HIV and hepatitis C treatment, and family planning services.


While the waiver likely won’t go into effect until 2028, we hope that implementation will ensure that more OSF will be directed toward community-based services.

thank you!

Thank you to every organization that hosted us for a 2026 Summer Listening Session! We wrapped up in mid-September with the help of friends in Biddeford, Bridgton, and Sangerville.


Every session gives us an opportunity to listen and learn about the barriers and unmet needs our communities are facing when trying to access services and care.


What's next? We are working on a policy platform that reflects the most pressing needs of Mainers impacted by SUD for the next legislative session. Be sure to keep an eye out for our 2026 Summer Listening Session Report in the coming weeks!

join the me-rap organizing team!

Join the ME-RAP Organizing Team! There’s still plenty of time to register for an upcoming onboarding session to learn about our statewide policy work, your role as a volunteer organizer, and how you can get involved.