A new initiative from the University of New England (UNE) aims to bolster the response to the opioid crisis in rural Maine through a comprehensive training program for health care professionals. The program, named the University of New England Northern Border Rural Workforce, has been awarded a $1.6 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration and is set to launch no later than August 2026.
This program is designed to train both current health care workers and students in a range of opioid response strategies tailored to meet the urgent needs of rural communities. According to Devon Sherwood, the project director and a professor at UNE’s pharmacy school, the training is essential as many areas in Maine are “grossly underserved.” The goal is to equip more health care professionals with the skills necessary to manage patients dealing with opioid use disorder.
The training will encompass a variety of treatment strategies, including medication options, and will address how to identify opioid disorders and communicate effectively with patients. Sherwood emphasized that this program will be the most comprehensive of its kind in the state, aiming to significantly increase the number of trained professionals available to support those affected by opioid use disorder.
As highlighted by project manager Rebecca Ireland, the waitlists for opioid and substance use treatment services in Maine are alarmingly long. Many health care providers lack the necessary training to engage confidently with patients suffering from these conditions. Ireland noted that many positions dedicated to treating opioid use disorder remain vacant, exacerbating the challenge of providing care in rural areas.
The University of New England will integrate this training into the curricula of its graduate health programs, including pharmacy, psychiatric nurse practitioner, social work, physician assistant, and medicine. The initiative will also extend to undergraduate nursing and social work programs. Additionally, an online component will be available for professionals working with partner organizations across the state, such as Penobscot Community Health Care and Northern Light Health.
The program is structured to offer both basic and advanced certification, allowing providers to select the training that aligns most closely with their roles. This flexible approach means that even those in non-clinical positions can gain valuable knowledge about opioid use disorder, enhancing their ability to support patients.
The collaboration with various health care education organizations, including the Maine Medical Association, underscores the initiative’s commitment to reducing barriers to training. Dr. James Jarvis, the association’s president, noted that this program will have a “meaningful, measurable impact on patient safety and community health,” contributing to efforts to prevent overdose deaths in the state.
Sherwood expressed hopes that the program will not only train hundreds of students and health care employees over its four-year duration but also encourage them to practice in rural sites after completion. She stated, “Hopefully once they get in there and they’ve got this training, they could stay there, and it increases the ability to improve our numbers in the workforce.”
This initiative marks a significant step forward in addressing the opioid crisis in Maine, focusing on the education and training necessary to equip health care professionals with the tools they need to respond effectively to this pressing public health challenge.
