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Bridgton’s Strong Recovery Network

October 11, 2024

Celebrating Community and Heritage

It really does take a village.

We’re not talking about the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker in an old-timey village.

We’re talking about the emergency department physicians, inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, peer recovery coaches, recovery community center, recovery residences and all the other features of what Catherine Clough-Bell calls a “recovery-ready community.”

“Today, we have all that,” says Catherine, the licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC) and certified clinical supervisor (CCS) who founded Crooked River Counseling.

All these organizations—and more—were at the fourth annual recovery rally Sept. 14 on the Bridgton Hospital campus, where people connected with resources and with each other. Volunteers grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, kids jumped in a bouncy house and got their faces painted, football players set up a corn hole tournament, and speakers shared their recovery stories.

A highlight of the day was a purple powder 50-“cannon” salute in remembrance of the late Dr. Peter Leighton, who was a person in recovery and a leader in establishing Bridgton’s recovery support network.

“Peter would be so happy to see that this community has kept up the momentum for people in recovery and people who love people in recovery,” said Kimberly Leighton, who is raising their five children and working with pediatric therapy office Play Warriors Inc. “I am so happy that we are equipped with these resources in this town and that we can find these moments of connection. You can say, ‘I know this hospital, this recovery center, these counselors, this magazine,’ and you may change someone’s life.”

The rally was hosted by Crooked River, which has substance use disorder and mental health treatment services available on both Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital campuses and works in partnership with Lakes Region Recovery Center in Bridgton and Tucker’s House recovery residences in North Bridgton and Harrison.

“To have all these organizations working together as smoothly as they do—it’s a miracle,” Catherine says.

This network didn’t yet exist at the beginning of the opioid crisis, when Crooked River started seeing patients with substance use disorder who had been prescribed pain medication for an injury and then, when that was cut off, began using street drugs.

“I had never seen anything like that and had been in the profession since 1997,” Catherine says. “There were quite a few of them, and they were young. Many of them had kids. I was desperate to do something.”

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) was just emerging, she says, and physicians were reluctant to get involved with prescribing medications for MAT and recommend the counseling piece.

When Crooked River paired up with Dr. Craig Smith of North Bridgton Family Practice in 2009, they became one of the first teams in Maine to offer integrated office based treatment for substance use disorders to offer MAT—in a town with a year-round population of not quite 5,500.

Front row: Lisa Hodgkins, CADC, Debra Thomas, Office Manager, Catherine Clough-Bell, LADC, CCS, Founder, President, Clinician – Back row: Dr. Craig Smith, DO, MAT Provider, Bill McKenzie, LADC, Gary Bell, Administrator, Anne Meroney, LADC, Tracey Martin, Recovery Coach

But that was only the beginning.

Crooked River has built collaborative relationships with emergency department (ED) staff at Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital.

“When patients come to the hospital, they’re typically at their lowest or some event has happened related to the addiction,” says Mary Fernald, who works in the ED at the 34-bed Bridgton Hospital. “As they sit there, realizing what has happened, we’re right there to suggest trying a new path and connect them with the next step.”

Next steps might include detox, MAT, peer-to-peer-support, inpatient or outpatient treatment, a sober living home, 12-step support groups or any combination of those supports. With the exception of detox facilities, which typically require a trip to a city, the Bridgton area has it all.

“When I touch base with patients about the resources available, they’re in awe,” Mary says. “But everybody needs support, and people take care of each other here.”

Catherine also founded Lakes Region Recovery Center in 2018 with Department of Health and Human Services funding. Crooked River, Lakes Region Recovery Center and Dr. Peter Leighton, who had an MAT practice, developed a bridge program with the Bridgton Hospital ED. After Dr. Leighton died from a brain tumor in 2021, other physicians stepped in and the bridge program has continued.

“We developed the bridge program so that if someone came to the ED and was in withdrawal and had an opioid addiction, physicians who were willing and able could prescribe medication and would also refer to a doctor in their network, as well as a recovery center and counseling,” Catherine says. “All these organizations, working together, have created a network for people who struggle with addiction and are seeking recovery.”

Next, the recovery center and the hospital established a recovery coach program. It’s not uncommon for the recovery center to get a call from the ED and send a specially trained recovery coach to talk with the patient about what they need and want and what services may be helpful.

Lakes Region Recovery Center, led by Executive Director Tracey Martin, offers peer-to-peer support recovery coaching, 12-step meetings, Narcan training, employment assistance, grief support groups, weight and wellness support, and so much more. All services offered are free of charge.

In 2022, another piece of the puzzle fell into place with the establishment of Tucker’s House, a 10-bed women’s recovery residence in North Bridgton and a 10-bed men’s recovery residence in Harrison.

“For a long time, there weren’t a lot of services in the Bridgton area,” Catherine admits. “But that has changed. Between Bridgton Hospital, Crooked River, Lakes Region Recovery Center and Tucker’s House, and all the resources we can connect people with outside our community, we know who to call if we identify an unmet need.”

This village of care and support proves that recovery is not just possible but thriving in Bridgton.

Amy Paradysz
Amy Paradysz
Amy Paradysz is a recovery ally and freelance writer and editor from Scarborough with more than 20 years of experience. She can be reached at [email protected]..
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