A new initiative at the University of New England (UNE) aims to enhance opioid response training for health care professionals across rural Maine with a budget of $1.6 million. The program, known as the University of New England Northern Border Rural Workforce, will provide essential training to both students and existing health care workers in areas significantly impacted by the opioid epidemic.
This comprehensive training program is critical as rural communities in Maine struggle with access to care for opioid use disorder. According to Devon Sherwood, project director and professor at UNE’s pharmacy school, these regions are “grossly underserved.” The initiative seeks to equip participants with skills in treatment strategies, including medication options, and techniques for recognizing opioid disorders and communicating effectively with patients.
Comprehensive Training for Health Care Professionals
Set to launch no later than August 2026, the program will be the most extensive of its kind in Maine. Sherwood emphasizes that the goal is to produce more health care professionals who are equipped to manage patients with opioid use disorder. “Waitlists for opioid and other substance use treatment services in Maine are extremely long,” highlighted Rebecca Ireland, project manager. She pointed out that many providers lack the necessary training to engage confidently and effectively with patients facing these challenges.
The program also addresses staffing shortages in the field. Many positions providing these critical services remain vacant, complicating access to training for health care professionals in rural locations. The new training will ensure that all participants, even those not specializing in opioid use disorder, will gain a foundational understanding of how to identify and support patients experiencing these issues.
Collaboration and Future Sustainability
The training will be integrated into various graduate health programs at UNE, including pharmacy, psychiatric nurse practitioner, social work, physician assistant, and medicine, as well as undergraduate nursing and social work courses. Additionally, there will be an online program tailored for professionals from partner organizations, such as the Penobscot Community Health Care system and Northern Light Health, which serve rural populations.
The initiative is structured to offer both basic and advanced certifications, allowing providers to select training components that best suit their roles. This flexibility is designed to accommodate even those in non-clinical positions who may interact with patients suffering from opioid use disorder. Ireland noted that the program aims to “meet them where they’re at,” fostering a more knowledgeable health care environment.
Collaboration with multiple health care education organizations, including the Maine Medical Association, will enhance the program’s impact. Dr. James Jarvis, president of the association, stated, “By reducing training barriers and aligning statewide partners, the program will have a meaningful, measurable impact on patient safety and community health.” He emphasized the potential of this training to help prevent overdose deaths in the state.
Funded by a four-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, awarded in September 2023, Sherwood expressed her team’s aspiration to create a sustainable program even after the funding period concludes. The flexibility of the course’s online components is expected to support this goal.
Over the initial four years, the initiative plans to train hundreds of students and health care employees. Sherwood encouraged newly trained professionals to practice in rural areas, stating, “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 new training program represents a significant step forward in addressing the opioid crisis in Maine, aiming to build a more capable and responsive health care workforce in underserved areas.
