PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Aroostook Mental Health Services Inc. is asking community members to participate in a survey that will help the agency and its consortium update the 2020 Community Health Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis, which is focused on substance use in Aroostook County.
The short survey will gauge public opinion on stigma, access to services and gaps in service.
“Overdose deaths continue to increase and we are working to reverse that trend,” said Erik Lamoreau, AMHC’s project coordinator. “Updating our community survey is an important part of the process – we help ensure that our work aligns with evidence-based practices and community priorities.”
The community survey is available on AMHC’s Facebook page and on its website and will be widely distributed through community partners. The electronic version is mobile-friendly and hard copies will be provided to individuals or organizations upon request.
This effort is part of the organization’s Health Resources Services Administration Rural Community Opioid Response Planning grant, which aims to reduce the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder in Aroostook County.
“In 2021, AMHC also received a HRSA RCORP Implementation grant, a three-year, $1 million award to assist in adopting critical initiatives identified in the needs assessment,” Lamoreau said. “That work has already begun and supported by our consortium members.”
Representatives from AMHC, Northern Maine Medical Center, Cary Medical Center, Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital, Houlton Regional Hospital, the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, the MicMac Behavioral Health Department and a person in recovery are part of the consortium.
This 10-minute survey will conclude at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 7. Aroostook County residents who include their name and a contact number will be entered into a drawing for one of five $100 Amazon gift cards. Winners will be contacted on Monday, Jan. 10.
For more information or to request a copy of the survey, please reach out to Lamoreau at elamoreau@amhc.org.
AMHC has 26 service sites and 325 employees located across Aroostook, Washington, and Hancock counties providing mental health, substance use, crisis and sexual assault services. For more information, connect with AMHC at www.amhc.org.
