Maine (WABI) – Representatives of a Maine behavioral health nonprofit say while the state has recently made progress on mental health services, more work needs to be done.
A spokesperson for Sweetser says the supplemental budget’s inclusion of funding for the state’s first youth psychiatric residential treatment facility is a huge boon. However, parts of rural Maine are still unable to easily access care.
While telehealth is a good option for some, it doesn’t solve the isolation experienced by some Mainers, especially seniors.
“There’s nothing like in-person connection, and so, we still find a big benefit to really be able to go and see somebody in person and have that kind of in-person experience,” said Justin Chenette, chief communications officer at Sweetser. “But, it’s harder for people in rural areas to be able to do that. It’s further to drive. It’s further to travel. And in some cases, the programs just simply don’t exist in rural areas. So, I think we have a long way to go as a state to making sure that we shore up that disparity between rural Maine and urban Maine when it comes to accessing behavioral health services.”
According to Sweetser, there are more than 10,000 people on a waitlist for behavioral healthcare services in Maine.
Help available 24/7
Officials at the behavioral health nonprofit say help is available around the clock. Even in the most rural parts of the state, Mainers can get connected anytime through the Peer Support Line.
It’s staffed by individuals with lived experience in either mental health or recovery challenges. Sweetser says everyone on the other end of that phone line is somebody who genuinely cares.
“So, if you’re spiraling at 3 a.m., you can call this line and just have somebody that’s there that understands you, that’s not going to judge you,” Chenette said. “A lot of our peer support specialists, these are individuals that are trained to have mutual conversations, but they’ve had some experience in their life with mental health or recovery challenges themselves. But, on the other side of that, they really experienced hope. They’ve experienced the benefits of seeking out support and treatment, so when somebody calls the peer support line, they’re literally talking to someone who’s been there, done that.”
The phone number for the Peer Support Line is 1-866-771-9276 (WARM).
If you’re in crisis, you can always text or call 988.
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