Mayoral Ad Hoc Committee on Substance Use & Recovery

SUBSTANCE - ORDER ANNOUNCEMENT - FRONT VIEW - 3-15-22

February 21, 2023, Committee Presentation to the Lewiston City Council

February 22, 2023, Sun Journal Coverage of Presentation

On March 15, 2022, Mayor Carl L. Sheline--accompanied by Councilor Stephanie Gelinas, City Administrator Heather Hunter, Chief of Police Dave St. Pierre, and individuals within the recovery community--signed a Mayoral Order to establish an Ad hoc Committee on Substance Use and Recovery. He co-chairs the committee with Councilor Gelinas. The Mayoral Order can be viewed at www.lewistonmaine.gov/recovery


Mayor Sheline shared the charge of the committee: "conduct a comprehensive assessment of the challenges and opportunities for cooperation to address substance use in Lewiston.  We will also work to develop a framework to support people in recovery.”

Councilor Gelinas made a plea to "increase awareness, decrease stigma, and most importantly develop more resources for our community to address substance use disorder.”

Other speakers were Chantel St. Laurent of Recovery Connections; Dr. John Alexander, Chief Medical Officer at Central Maine Healthcare; and Gordon Smith, Maine Director of Opioid Response.

Agendas & Minutes for Committee

Mayor’s Ad Hoc Committee on Substance Use and Recovery Membership

Mayor Carl L. Sheline
 Stephanie Gelinas, City Councilor
 Heather Hunter, City Administrator
 Dave St. Pierre, Chief of Police
 Jeremy Hiltz, Founder/CEO/Counselor – Recovery Connections of Maine
 Chantel St. Laurent, Addictions Counselor – Recovery Connections of Maine
 Deb York, Executive Director - An Angel's Wing
 Catherine Ryder, Chief Executive Director - Tri County Mental Health Services
 Doug Dunbar, Recovery & Re-Entry Workforce Specialist - Eastern Maine Development Corporation  
 Gordon Smith, Maine Director of Opioid Response
 Dr. John Alexander, Central Maine Healthcare Chief Medical Officer, Senior VP, and
 President of  Central Maine Accountable Care Organization
Rick Redmond, System Director for Behavioral Health - Central Maine Healthcare
Mike Abbatiello, Vice President of Behavioral Health - St. Mary's Regional Medical Center
 Michael Paddleford, Recovery on the Road
 Bruce King, Maine Inside Out
 Neil McLean, District Attorney of Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford Counties
 Dave Bilodeau, Options Liaison Androscoggin County – Tri County Mental Health Services
 Shawn Yardley, Community Concepts  
Lana Whittemore, An Angel’s Wing & Blue Sky Counseling

AND

Staff Support
Dottie Perham-Whittier, Community Relations Coordinator - City of Lewiston