The Gorham Police Department is urging those struggling with an opioid use disorder to reach out for help. The Community Recovery Liaison Program (CRLP) is a grant funded program overseen by the Westbrook Police Department which has partnered with Gorham, Windham, Buxton and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office to work with people in recovery or working towards it.
Services are free to any resident of Westbrook, Windham, Gorham and Buxton and available to people who are incarcerated, on probation, not involved in the criminal justice system, actively using, in treatment or in early recovery. CRLP can help with referrals to aftercare support, health insurance, housing, food, employment, education and outpatient treatment when available.
According to Community Liaison Danielle Rideout, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, “there is no such thing as someone getting out of recovery. It’s a life time process unfortunately. People are discharged from treatment facilities with little to no aftercare plan. They return to the same old people, places and things which is a set up to fail. This is where CRLP can come in and help make the transition more smooth.”
The program is designed to help people get connected to resources that provide follow up care. In the past year, Rideout confirmed that over 300 Cumberland County Jail inmates made contact, half of those are from one of the four participating towns.
“About 45 program participants engaged and met goals on their wellness plan. We have had contact with over 200 community members who are in recovery, working towards recovery or have been affected by someone else’s substance use disorder.”
While the program has been successful to date, it is funded by a grant that ends June 30 of this year. CRLP is looking into other funding sources, but as of now, does not have anything set in stone for after that date. The program has received donations from the public which have been helpful in attempting to meet the estimated $90,000 a year it takes to run the program. A hefty sum, admits Rideout, “but in the long run, it is certainly more cost effective to support people to become employed, tax paying citizens whose kids are taken out of state custody and returned to healthy, loving parents.”
Rideout is at the Gorham Public Safety Building every Monday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m, Westrbook Public Safety on Tuesdays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Buxton Town Hall on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and Windham Public Safety 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For assistance, more information, or to make a contribution to the program, Rideout can be reached at drideout@westbrook.me.us or 303-4009.