Creating Opportunities For Innovation Across the Lifespan

AGENDA
Register
Materials
Virtual EXPO
  • Friday, May 16, 2025, from 8 am to 4:00 pm
  • Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 8:45 am to 12 pm
  • Sebasco Harbor Resort and on Zoom

While conference registration is complimentary, please note that accommodations and the optional lobster bake dinner are not included and will incur additional costs

ME SUD Learning Community’s 3rd Annual Conference is Maine’s foremost opportunity for clinicians and community partners to hear updates on state-of-the-art collaborative practices for treating persons with Substance Use and Opioid Use Disorders (SUD/OUD). Featuring various state and national experts, this conference will outline and explore the care of SUD and OUD throughout a patient’s lifetime. Learning sessions will address the current lethality of fentanyl and the epidemic of drug overdose deaths. Join us to learn practical means to integrate these methodologies into practice, whether in primary care or behavioral health and working with youth or adults.

 
 

CMEs and other contact hours are offered. See the registration page for more information.

Keynote Speakers

Alexander Y. Walley

MD, MSc

The SafeSpot Hotline and Addressing Overdose from Solitary Drug Use

Alexander Y. Walley, MD, MSc President of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine

Description Coming Soon!

Kevin Gray

MD

Understanding and Addressing Youth Cannabis Use

Kevin Gray, MD Professor and Director of Addiction Sciences in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

Cannabis use is common among adolescents and young adults, and during this stage of development there are increased risks for adverse outcomes. This presentation will include timely updates on cannabis use, adolescent development, and the implications of their intersection, followed by practical discussion of established and emerging approaches to address youth cannabis use disorder.

Kinna Thakarar

DO, MPH

Infectious Disease Updates for Addiction Medicine Clinicians

Kinna Thakarar, DO, MPH Associate Professor of Medicine at MaineHealth/Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM)

Dr. Kinna Thakarar will review local epidemiology of substance use disorders  HIV and other infectious diseases among people who use drugs (PWUD). She will also review prevention &  treatment updates  to HIV, viral hepatitis, and other infectious disease care. Finally she will discuss low barrier approaches to delivering infectious disease prevention and treatment services to PWUD.

Andrew Seefeld

MD, FACEP

Emotional Sobriety & the Science of Addiction

Andrew Seefeld, MD, FACEP Board-certified specialist in both Emergency Medicine and Addiction Medicine

Using both his personal and professional experience with addiction, Dr. Seefeld reframes how we think about addiction and offers a non-pharmacologic approach to helping individuals engage in treatment, attain early sobriety, and develop patterns of thinking and emotional management that support long-term recovery. He has shifted away from focusing solely on the addictive substance and will instead guide us upstream to identify underlying issues—specifically, the maladaptive thinking and emotional breakdowns that increase the risk of problematic use in the first place. Throughout the discussion, we will explore the basic science of addiction and gain a deeper understanding of the complexity behind the “whys” of addictive patterns, including maladaptive thinking, emotional responses, and behaviors that hinder long-term recovery.

Breakouts

Josh McQueen

LCSW, LADC, CCS

Contingency Management for Stimulant Use Disorder Treatment in Maine

Presenter: Josh McQueen, LCSW, LADC, CCS

Contingency Management (CM) is an evidence-based treatment that has been shown to be the most effective approach to treating stimulant use disorder.  Beginning in January 2024, Spurwink Adult Behavioral Health has been implementing one of Maine’s first CM pilot programs in the Bayside neighborhood of Portland, serving clients with complex needs including serious mental illness, polysubstance use and housing insecurity. This presentation will provide attendees an overview of Contingency Management for stimulant use disorder, discuss Spurwink’s outcomes at one year of implementation, and review current CM developments on a state and federal level.

Amelia Hersey, PA-C

Amelia Hersey

PA-C

Amy West

FNP-C

Ashley Roberts

LADC

Jessica Taylor

MSN, BSN, RN, CCCTM

Megan Harrigan

MHRT-C

Street Medicine Team: Bridging the gap to healthcare for our community’s most vulnerable population

Presenters: Amelia Hersey, PA-C | Amy West, FNP-C | Ashley Roberts, LADC | Jessica Taylor, MSN, BSN, RN, CCCTM |  Megan Harrigan, MHRT-C

This initiative, known as the OPTIONS program, is making transformative strides in Bangor, Maine, significantly contributing to the reduction of both fatal and non-fatal overdose rates. Since its inception, OPTIONS has distributed over 19,000 doses of Narcan, a life-saving medication used to treat narcotic overdose in emergency situations as well as training over 14,000 people on how to use the medication. The program’s unique approach includes weekly ride-along with a dedicated Bangor Police Department officer, who focuses on follow-up assistance. This strategy has not only led to an increase in the number of clients engagements but has also shifted their perspective of law enforcement.

The Overdose Response team which is a collaboration of the OPTIONS grant and a grant given to Bangor Public health by the office of Behavioral Health, gave out over 500 doses of Narcan in 2023 and had over 800 encounters with people who experienced substance use disorder, at risk of overdosing and affected others.

Our medical outreach team, primarily from Penobscot Community Health Care (PCHC) in collaboration with St. Joseph Healthcare (SJH), has played a pivotal role in our clients’ success. The combined efforts of police officers and medical outreach providers, has been instrumental in the decline of overdose rates in the community, highlighting the importance of such innovative, community-based approaches in addressing the opioid crisis.

Danielle Forino

Clifford “Mike” Gray

Clifford “Mike” Gray

John “Joe” Costello

Expanding the Focus : Affected Others

Presenter: Danielle Forino | Clifford “Mike” Gray | John “Joe” Costello

Affected Others are an extremely vital, yet often underserved community. This panel discussion will explore the innovations taking place in Maine serving Affected Others. Participants will not only learn about current resources, but also what is on the horizon for care for loved ones.

Alane O'Connor

DNP

Sean Donaghue

Division Chief

Project Lifeline: A collaboration between MaineMOM and the Portland Fire Mobile Medical Outreach (MMO) Teams

Presenters: Alane O’Connor,  DNP |  Division Chief Sean Donaghue  

Come learn about Project Lifeline, a nationally innovative partnership between MaineMOM and Portland Fire Department MMO (mobile medical outreach) with the goal of better supporting pregnant and postpartum patients with substance use disorders (SUD). The partnership uses community-based paramedicine to expand access to care, break down barriers, build trust with vulnerable/marginalized individuals, and deliver wrap-around, patient-centered care “where they are at.” It is believed to be the first community medicine partnership in the US specifically focused on pregnant/postpartum patients with SUD.

Amelia Hersey, PA-C

Amelia Hersey

PA-C

Rhonda Selvin

Rhonda Selvin

APRN, FNP-BC

Jessica Taylor

MSN, BSN, RN, CCCTM

Jesse Higgins, RN, MSN, PMHNP

Jesse Higgins

PNHNP

Invisible: Older Adults and SUD Geriatric Teams

Presenters: Amelia Hersey, PA-C | Rhonda Selvin, APRN, FNP-BC | Jessica Taylor, MSN, BSN, RN, CCCTM | Jesse Higgins, PMHNP

Although substance use disorders are frequently associated with young to mid-adulthood, they are prevalent and becoming more prevalent in the older adult population. Yet, this vulnerable population is under-identified and not treated. Through a case presentation, this panel will explore the challenges and opportunities of addressing SUD to build a comprehensive care system across the healthcare system.

Kinna Thakarar

DO, MPH

Katie Hill

MPH

Anna McConnell

FNP-BC

Das Thamattoor

Project DHARMA: Evolution of Drug Checking in Maine

Presenters: Kinna Thakarar, DO, MPH | Katie Hill, MPH | Anna McConnell, FNP-BC| Das Thamattoor

This session will describe key partners for drug checking initiatives, review the history of drug checking and the importance of programs being designed by and for people who use drugs, illustrate how syringe services program staff and chemistry experts interpret results, and outline a plan for examining the feasibility and acceptability of drug checking programs in Maine.

Nabarun Dasgupta

PhD, MPH

Drug Supply Insights and Falling Overdose Rates 

Presenter: Nabarun Dasgupta, PhD, MPH

Description Coming Soon!

 

Amelia Hersey, PA-C

Amelia Hersey, PA-C

Amelia Hersey, PA-C, is a physician assistant with Penobscot Community Healthcare and medical director of the Hope House Clinic where she works in recovery services and on outreach doing street medicine. She has ten years of experience treating patients with substance use disorders in long term care and skilled rehab facilities. She has also been the lead provider for New Horizons Detox in Hampden since it opened in 2018. She is on the Maine board of Osteopathic Licensure as well as the Maine Clinical Opioid Advisory Committee.

Division Chief Sean Donaghue

Division Chief Sean Donaghue has been a firefighter for the City of Portland for over 17 years.  He currently oversees the emergency medical services division in Portland, known as Medcu, as well as the training division.  Additionally, he is part of the executive leadership of the Mobile Medical Outreach program.  He is an AEMT, holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Maine, and is nearing completion of his masters in Policy, Planning, and Management through the Muskie Program at the University of Southern Maine.

Josh McQueen, LCSW, LADC, CCS

Josh McQueen, LCSW, LADC, CCS is the Associate Director of Spurwink Adult Behavioral Health and oversees Spurwink’s Contingency Management, Opioid Health Home, and Rapid Access programs.   Josh developed Spurwink’s Contingency Management pilot program serving individuals struggling with stimulant use disorder, complex behavioral needs and often homelessness.  He has worked in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood since 2019.

Alane O'Connor, DNP

Alane O’Connor, DNP is the director of perinatal addiction medicine at Maine Medical Center and is the medical advisor of the Maine Maternal Opioid Misuse (MaineMOM) Initiative, a 5-year, $5 million federal grant to expand access to substance use treatment for pregnant and postpartum individuals in Maine. She also co-chairs Maine’s Opioid Response Clinical Advisory Committee, which advises the Governor’s opioid response director on clinical and public policy issues. Dr. O’Connor has more than 15 years of experience in addiction medicine in a variety of settings including the design and implementation of an extended-release buprenorphine pilot at Somerset County Jail, rapid access to substance use treatment in emergency departments through Maine Medical Association’s Project RISE, as well extensive experience caring for pregnant patients with substance use disorder in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. She lectures regionally and nationally and has trained more than 100 family medicine and obstetric resident physicians. She is a core faculty member of Maine’s only addiction medicine fellowship program. Finally, she has published numerous peer reviewed articles on maternal and infant outcomes of substance exposed pregnancies including the related child welfare implications as well as the care of incarcerated pregnant patients.

Megan Harrigan, MHRT-C

Megan Harrigan graduated from the University of Maine, Augusta, with a Bachelor’s Degree in the Science of Human Services. She has been working for 20-plus years in the field. Her focus is mental health, substance use disorder, folks experiencing homelessness, combating stigma, and building rapport with law enforcement in Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties. She is currently employed at Community Health and Counseling Services in Bangor as the OPTIONS Liaison for Piscataquis County.

Kinna Thakarar, DO, MPH

Dr. Thakarar is an Associate Professor of Medicine at MaineHealth/Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) and is board-certified in infectious disease, addiction medicine, and internal medicine. Her clinical and research interests include the infectious disease and substance use syndemic, particularly harm reduction, shared decision making and community-based work. She has partnered with local syringe services programs for both research and clinical care and is currently the PI of a federally-funded harm reduction grant, Project DHARMA (Distribution of Harm Reduction Access in Rural Maine Areas). She also enjoys working with trainees and is the co-director of the TUSM Scholarly Project Program and co-PI of a federally-funded T35 grant for Maine track medical students.

Jessica Taylor, MSN, BSN, RN, CCCTM

Jesse Higgins RN, MSN is  a Maine native, and enjoyed growing up in Maine as part of a very large family. I have two children, and love to spend time hiking, gardening, and on the coast. I have been a nurse for 23 years. I began my career as a surgical nurse then transitioned to supporting vulnerable populations within the community, as a home health/hospice nurse, care manager within the practices/supporting victims of trafficking/homeless/elderly, and as director of care management for Community Care Partnerships of Maine. I was also involved in the beta testing for the predictive analytics platform within our state-wide health information exchange, Health Info Net.

In my current role, as Senior Director for Population Health, and Care Transitions at St Joseph Healthcare, I am involved in the work and lead services lines that are supporting some of the communities most vulnerable, those struggling with homelessness, substance use disorder, behavioral health, elderly, and chronic diseases both in the ambulatory care setting, community, and in the hospital. I enjoy working within the community caring directly for those in greatest need as it allows me to collaborate with other community partners and aligns with our mission at St Joseph Healthcare. 

Nabarun Dasgupta, PhD, MPH

Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta is a scientist at the University of North Carolina (USA) with 2 decades of experience in harm reduction, focused on overdose epidemiology and prevention. His passion is telling true stories about health, with numbers. His multidisciplinary approach draws on large database analytics, qualitative field studies, analytical chemistry, randomized message trials, and community-based interventions. At UNC he works at the Opioid Data Lab (OpioidData.org), a team of scientists exploring difficult questions in overdose prevention. He is a co-founder of Remedy Alliance For The People (remedyallianceftp.org), a groundbreaking non-profit distributor that makes bulk naloxone purchases easy. He also co-founded the UNC Street Drug Analysis Lab (streetsafe.supply), which provides mail-in drug checking services to 160+ programs in 35+ states. In 2023 Dr. Dasgupta was named to TIME 100 Next list of emerging global leaders: “Few Americans have done more to prevent drug–overdose deaths than Nabarun Dasgupta.”

Alane O’Connor, DNP is the director of perinatal addiction medicine at Maine Medical Center and is the medical advisor of the Maine Maternal Opioid Misuse (MaineMOM) Initiative, a 5-year, $5 million federal grant to expand access to substance use treatment for pregnant and postpartum individuals in Maine. She also co-chairs Maine’s Opioid Response Clinical Advisory Committee, which advises the Governor’s opioid response director on clinical and public policy issues. Dr. O’Connor has more than 15 years of experience in addiction medicine in a variety of settings including the design and implementation of an extended-release buprenorphine pilot at Somerset County Jail, rapid access to substance use treatment in emergency departments through Maine Medical Association’s Project RISE, as well extensive experience caring for pregnant patients with substance use disorder in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. She lectures regionally and nationally and has trained more than 100 family medicine and obstetric resident physicians. She is a core faculty member of Maine’s only addiction medicine fellowship program. Finally, she has published numerous peer reviewed articles on maternal and infant outcomes of substance exposed pregnancies including the related child welfare implications as well as the care of incarcerated pregnant patients.