The New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center created this document as part of a Technical Assistance Request to support the Maine Recovery Council's Prevention Ad Hoc Subcommittee in their strategic planning process to identify gaps in prevention funding and opioid use prevention services and create strategy funding recommendations. This document shows how the subcommittee identified substance misuse prevention funding priorities for the Opioid Settlement Dollars through that strategic planning process. This document shows the workplan and outcomes of this process for the workgroup itself to reflect back on in future planning and also offers a process guide for other entities (municipalities, states, regions, etc.) who want an example of a robust process to examine the prevention landscape in other places, demonstrate service gaps, and prioritize funding for opioid use/misuse prevention using opioid settlement dollars.

The Maine Recovery Council was established pursuant to the Maine State Subdivision Memorandum of Understanding (PDF) and Agreement Regarding Use of Settlement Funds and 5 M.R.S.A. §203-C. The purpose of the Council is to direct the disbursement of funds within the Maine Recovery Fund for specific uses throughout the state to address the opioid crisis in Maine. Examples of approved uses are reversing overdoses through naloxone or other FDA-approved drugs, expanding the availability of medication-assisted treatment for Mainers struggling with opioid use disorder, helping Mainers avoid opioid use through evidence-based prevention programs, and providing additional special education resources to Maine school administrative units. The Council comprises 15 members appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Attorney General, and certain counties, cities, and towns in Maine.