SANFORD — A former state legislator who is now a Sanford city councilor said Tuesday he plans to seek a bill that would provide funding for Sanford’s opioid treatment program beyond the June 2018 expiration.

“I’ll communicate with the delegation and make sure a bill is submitted,” Councilor John Tuttle told his colleagues following a presentation on the treatment program by Sanford Police Chief Thomas Connolly.

Sanford Police Department received about $195,000 from a substance abuse grant through the Maine Department of Public Safety — one of several grants awarded throughout the state last year. It took time to iron out agreements with treatment providers and some initial possibilities didn’t pan out.

But the department was able to ink agreements with Grace Street Services and Nasson Health Care, which provide outpatient evidence-based, medically-assisted treatment. The Police Department  conducts screening before referring a potential patient to one of the two providers. Then  additional screening is conducted before entering the program. The grant pays for the cost of treatment.

Connolly told the council that officers have talked with 50 to 60 people about the program and that 30 had completed a screening process. Of those, he said, six were not accepted — most because they lived outside Sanford or Springvale or because their living situation was such that their chances of success were slim, he said.

Of those who were accepted, five were removed for violating program rules that range from not going to required meetings to selling their prescription medications, Connolly told the council. 

He said 18 folks are still in the program and are doing well.

The success rate is currently 61 percent — “pretty darn good,” Connolly said.

He said the Police Department has averaged two applications a week, but has had none in the past two weeks.

“The end date is June, which concerns me because a lot won’t be able to maintain,” Connolly told the City Council.

He said he hopes something can be worked out with the state so the program can continue.

The chief said he keeps an eye out for federal grants.

Mayor Tom Cote said it appears to him that the core of the opioid problem lies with prescription drug abuse and wondered if there was anything locally that could be done to prevent the sale of opioid-based medication.

For a number of years, Connolly said the number of heroin-dependent people in the U.S. ranged between 500,000 to 600,000. But in recent years, that number has risen to over 12 million. New regulations have been put in place on how opioids are prescribed in an effort to reduce dependency, he said, but estimated it would take five to seven years that to have an effect.

Most people in the community seem to want to hear about enforcement, Cote said.

“We arrest anyone we can who looks like their providing, dealing and dispensing, said Connolly. 

He said the department and the Maine Drug Enforcement Administration, which assists Sanford and other communities with enforcement, is looking for those who would fall into the felony distribution category.

Connolly said arrests alone won’t solve the opioid problem and that the best method is to reduce demand, teach kids to make good decisions and make sure they know there are consequences for their actions.

“No one wants to live the life of an addict, no one,” Connolly said.

Councilor Lucas Lanigan pointed out that heroin is a scheduled drug that is against the law and said the city has to “stay strong.”

Lanigan drew an analogy to being stopped for drunk driving. He said he’d get no break if he told the officer he was an alcoholic.

“I’m seeing a double standard with this drug,” Lanigan said.

Officers arrest people found to have illegal drugs on them, Connolly said.

“We encourage people to call us if they see something,” Connolly said, and urged folks to use the tip line, 324-9170, option 4 and follow the prompts, if they with to remain anonymous.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.