FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Danna Hayes, Danna.Hayes@maine.gov
Attorney General Aaron M. Frey and Representative Michele Meyer Announce $1 Million Investment in Mainspring’s Recovery Support Model
AUGUSTA –Attorney General Aaron M. Frey and Representative Michele Meyer today announced a $1 million investment from Maine’s opioid settlement funds to expand integrated recovery supports through Mainspring: The Seacoast Social Services Collective in Kittery.
Led by Fair Tide and Footprints, Mainspring is an innovative, multi-agency collaborative that brings together more than a dozen organizations under one roof to help individuals and families navigate interconnected challenges, including substance use disorder, housing instability, food insecurity, poverty, and recovery support services.
The funding will strengthen Mainspring’s coordinated, community-based recovery model by expanding case management, housing navigation, food access, outreach, and recovery support services for individuals impacted by opioid use disorder and substance misuse.
“Mainspring is an innovative and promising model that recognizes recovery does not happen in isolation,” said Attorney General Aaron M. Frey. “People struggling with substance use disorder are often simultaneously facing housing instability, food insecurity, poverty, and other barriers to care. By bringing services together in one accessible location and coordinating support across agencies, Mainspring is helping people access the resources they need to achieve long-term stability and recovery. I am proud to support this work through Maine’s opioid settlement funds.”
Mainspring’s model is designed to reduce barriers to care through centralized intake, coordinated case management, and cross-agency collaboration. The initiative also invests in shared data systems and coordinated outreach to better identify needs, improve outcomes, and ensure individuals do not fall through gaps in the system.
“Substance use disorder impacts every community in Maine, and we know recovery outcomes improve when people can access stable housing, food, and coordinated support services,” said Representative Michele Meyer. “This investment recognizes the importance of treating substance use disorder with a comprehensive, community-centered approach. Mainspring is building a model that not only serves York County residents today, but may help inform recovery support systems across Maine in the future.”
According to the Maine Drug Data Hub, York County continues to experience one of the highest rates of substance use disorder in the state. Mainspring’s regional, integrated approach is intended to strengthen prevention, recovery, and long-term stabilization efforts while creating a scalable model for other Maine communities.
“At Mainspring, we are redefining how communities respond to complex challenges by bringing agencies together to provide coordinated, dignified, person-centered care,” said Emily Flinkstrom and Megan Shapiro-Ross, Executive Directors of Fair Tide and Footprints. “This investment will help ensure that individuals impacted by opioids can access integrated support services, strengthen pathways to sustained recovery, and build greater stability for themselves and their families. We are deeply grateful for the support of Attorney General Frey and Representative Meyer as we continue building a collaborative model that we believe can benefit communities across Maine.”
The funding supports Maine’s opioid settlement priorities by advancing evidence-based, collaborative, community-rooted approaches to prevention, recovery support, and long-term systems change.