UNE’s Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition recognized for efforts to end the stigma of addiction

UNE's Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition

Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC), a comprehensive community-based health coalition housed within the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, was recognized during a public hearing about a proposed York County-funded drug treatment center.

Saco City Administrator Kevin Sutherland was quoted in the Courier saying, “I commend the county for its efforts in pushing this issue forward. Biddeford, Saco, and Old Orchard Beach have been working closely with the University of New England and the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition to bring greater attention to recognizing addiction as an illness.”

CHCC’s Project Alliance advisory board aims to reduce youth substance use and misuse in northern York County. The Board includes representatives from diverse sectors, including schools, parents, law enforcement, youth, clergy and more. In collaboration with community partners, Project Alliance leads substance misuse prevention efforts to reduce retail and social access to alcohol, increase awareness of the risks of marijuana use, and promote the safe disposal of prescription medication. Project Alliance board members have been leaders in establishing the Northern York County Prescription Drug Coalition, chairing the Maine Opiate Collaborative’ s Prevention/Harm Reduction Task Force, and serving as the prevention partner for the newly-formed Saco Biddeford Opioid Outreach Initiative.  

Read the article.

To learn more about UNE’s Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition, visit: www.une.edu/chcc

To apply, visit www.une.edu/admissions

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.