AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee voted Wednesday to unanimously advance legislation sponsored by Rep. Allison Hepler, D-Woolwich, aimed at better supporting individuals with traumatic brain injury.
LD 539 would expand the options available at Maine's neurorehabilitation clinics to include counseling for substance use disorder, making the services provided more comprehensive.
"Maine is leading as the only state with outpatient neurorehabilitation clinics for individuals with acquired brain injury who are covered by Medicaid without a waiver," said Hepler. "In some cases, people struggling with brain injuries can turn to drugs or alcohol to alleviate stress or physical pain. In other situations, substance use can cause brain injury, as in the case of non-fatal drug overdoses. Adding substance use disorder counseling to the array of services already provided in these clinics is a valuable way for patients to access the help they need in an integrative setting."
Substance use disorder counseling was identified by the Acquired Brain Injury Advisory Council in its recent needs assessment as a service gap for individuals with an acquired brain injury.
"The prevalence of co-occurring substance use disorder and brain injury is high," said Bridget Sullivan, clinic supervisor at NeuroRestorative in Standish. "In my professional experience, many people who have substance use disorder also had premorbid brain injuries, either diagnosed or undiagnosed. Offering substance use counseling to people with brain injuries is a preventative care measure, which reduces the long-term costs in the state of Maine associated with intensive inpatient treatment facilities and homelessness services."
The bill will move to the full Legislature for consideration in the coming weeks.
Hepler is the House chair of the Marine Resource Committee, and is a member of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee as well as the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee. She is serving her third term in the Maine House, and represents Arrowsic, Georgetown, Phippsburg, West Bath and Woolwich.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Hepler], c. 305-965-2744