BIDDEFORD — The Biddeford and Saco police departments have announced they have completed their search for a coordinator for a new, collaborative opiate treatment program. 

Maegan Lambert-Irish has been hired as the coordinator for the Saco Biddeford Opiate Outreach Initiative, Biddeford Police Chief Roger Beaupre and Saco Police Chief Raynald Demers announced Tuesday. 

The initiative, which is currently being formed, is a collaborative effort between the two cities to facilitate pathways for addicts into community-based and medically assisted treatments as well as into recovery and support services.

It was announced in early September that the two departments — along with those of Sanford, Portland and Westbrook — would share $1 million in funding from the Maine Department of Public Safety to establish programs designed to help people with substance abuse problems or addiction issues get on their feet.

The SBOOI is founded on the premise that detoxification occurs behind walls but that recovery occurs in the community. The cities have partnership agreements with the University of New England’s Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition, Southern Maine Health Care and the York County District Attorney’s Office.

The goal of the coordinator position is to improve and expand the two communities’ knowledge of existing treatment providers and to improve connections to their services. That includes developing the ability to monitor the service providers’ availability and capacity on a real time basis.
 
Lambert-Irish is a certified substance abuse counselor and holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. Her initial focus will be to develop a comprehensive list of existing local resources.

She will also further develop and enhance the referral process already used by the Biddeford and Saco police departments to advance their community caretaker roles, Beaupre said in a release.

Beaupre said the goal of the program is to meet those with substance abuse disorders “where they’re at,” and that Lambert-Irish had initiated two cases on her first day alone.

“We are delighted that Maegan has chosen to join our team to help and serve our communities,” Beaupre said. “She has already hit the ground running, and has set up two interviews to begin the referral process.”

Lambert-Irish will be based at the Biddeford Police Department on Alfred Street, and will also have a workspace at the Saco Police Department on Storer Street.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or abennett@journaltribune.com.