A New Path Forward: Sweetser’s IOP Brings Recovery-Focused Care to Brunswick

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Recovery looks different for everyone, and for many people navigating substance use disorder, the biggest obstacle isn’t willingness to change — it’s finding care that fits around the life they’re already building. A new program at Sweetser’s Brunswick Hope and Healing Center is meeting that need, offering intensive, evidence-based treatment that supports people without asking them to put their work, school, or family commitments on hold.

The Intensive Outpatient Program, or IOP, provides a structured, supportive path forward while people continue living at home. Joey Rossignol, Sweetser’s Senior Director of Community-Based Services for Cumberland County, says the program is grounded in a simple belief: treatment should open doors, not create new obstacles.

“We don’t want treatment to be a barrier to recovery,” Joey said.

Every person who enters the program starts with a comprehensive assessment, so care can be built around their individual strengths, needs, and recovery goals. From there, the program draws on a range of evidence-based supports, including individual and group therapy, psychoeducation, family education, harm reduction strategies, and medication-assisted treatment. Sessions run three hours a day, four days a week, for six weeks — an approach designed to give people real support without disrupting the routines and responsibilities that matter to them.

That balance, Joey says, is central to how the program works.

“This structure allows individuals to engage in high-quality recovery treatment while managing their daily responsibilities at home, work, or school,” Joey said.

Community-based care isn’t the right fit for every stage of someone’s recovery journey, and Joey notes that some people may need a higher level of inpatient support depending on their medical needs or home environment. For many others, though, an IOP offers something a residential stay can’t: the ability to stay rooted in daily life while building connection with others who understand what recovery takes. That sense of shared experience, Rossignol says, is often just as important to healing as the clinical care itself.

The program welcomes anyone 18 or older with approved insurance, and people are welcome to self-refer or seek a referral from a provider. A free prescreen is available to help determine the appropriate level of care. Those interested can visit Sweetser’s Brunswick Hope and Healing Center at 329 Bath Road, call the Promiseline at 800-434-3000, email info@sweetser.org, or learn more at sweetser.org.

Recovery is possible, and for people across Maine, that path may now be a little closer to home.