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Board of Health urges wider naloxone access and regional coordination for opioid-settlement dollars
Summary
Melissa Fochesato presented the Board of Health’s recommendations for spending Sagadahoc’s share of opioid settlement funds, urging increased naloxone access, shared first-responder liaisons and better regional resource coordination to avoid duplicating services.
Melissa Fochesato, chair of the Sagadahoc Board of Health and director of community health at Midcoast Hospital, urged county leaders to prioritize expanding naloxone access, sharing clinical navigators with first responders, and improving regional coordination to deploy the county’s portion of opioid settlement funds.
Fochesato told commissioners the state will receive $234 million over 17 years from opioid settlements, with 30% of that allocation designated for subdivisions that have enrolled — counties and towns — and other shares routed to the Attorney General and the Maine Recovery Council. She said the Recovery Council is already contracting to expend funds and has opened an RFP process for additional distributions.
The Board of Health distilled stakeholder feedback into four themes and three actionable recommendations: 1) increase community access to naloxone (including distribution at discharge points and public naloxone boxes similar to AEDs); 2) explore sharing an options or navigator position so first responders have access to clinicians and warm handoffs to treatment; and 3) strengthen a coordinated inventory of local resources so residents and providers can find care, including ensuring local listings on 211.
"How is the state's using their Opioid Settlement funds," Fochesato said, answering an earlier question from the commissioners before outlining the distribution split and the Board's priorities. She described specific ideas such as giving naloxone to postpartum patients and placing naloxone boxes in public locations to destigmatize and expand access.
Sheriff Joel Merry added context on overdose response, saying patrol uses naloxone "about a dozen times a year," and described how local law enforcement can participate in warm handoffs when resources and navigators are available.
The Board recommended coordinating with existing local partners — Midcoast Hospital, Bath Recovery Center, the Sheriff's Office and municipal police — to avoid duplicating services and to maximize warm handoffs and prevention work in schools. Fochesato emphasized funding strategies that build on current programs rather than recreating them.
The commissioners did not take formal funding action at the meeting; the presentation concluded with the Board’s request that the county consider operational roles (liaison capacity and regional coordination) as it develops plans for its share of settlement dollars.
