Data Index

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a survey that is administered across the United States by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to adults ages 18+. Through a telephone survey it collects data regarding health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. Each year BRFSS conducts more than 400,000 adult interviews. Use the following link to explore the 2019 BRFSS Survey Data and Documentation. The primary contact for data requests is Melissa Damren, Maine BRFSS Coordinator: melissa.damren@maine.gov

The Office of the Maine Attorney General provides naloxone to over 116 local, county, and state law enforcement agencies serving all 16 counties of the state. The overdose reversal data is self-reported by participating officers and departments in the OAG program. The primary contact to administer naloxone through this program is Brian MacMaster, Chief of Investigations, Office of the Maine Attorney General: brian.macmaster@maine.gov. The primary contact for data requests is Marcella Sorg, Director, Rural Drug & Alcohol Research Program, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine: mhsorg@maine.edu

The Department of Health and Human Services reports annually on the activities of all hypodermic apparatus exchange programs operating in the State of Maine. The report consists of data from November through October of the previous calendar year and data are reported to the Maine CDC from the licensed Syringe Service Programs operating in Maine. Use the following link to download the 2019 Syringe Service Programs in Maine Annual Report. The primary contact for data requests is Lauren Gauthier, Infectious Disease Prevention Director, Division of Disease Surveillance, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention: lauren.gauthier@maine.gov

The Maine CDC Drug Overdose Morbidity and Mortality, and Opioid Prescribing Trends in Maine website consists of a series of dashboards that provide a multi-faceted view of the drug overdose crisis in Maine. Included are confirmed drug deaths by quarter, prescription opioid and benzodiazepine trends, and patient encounters in Maine emergency departments that Maine CDC classifies as suspected unintentional overdoses. This includes both fatal and nonfatal overdoses with various classes of drugs. Use the following link to explore the Maine CDC Syndromic Surveillance Dashboard. The primary contact for data requests is: syndromic@maine.gov

The Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC) Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) staff are responsible for the collection, analysis, and reporting of key MDOC performance measures. They promote data driven and evidence-based decision making and report data daily, monthly, and annually. Use the following link to explore MDOC Reports and Statistical Data. The primary contact for data requests is Joel Gilbert, Data & CQI Manager, Maine Department of Corrections: joel.gilbert@maine.gov

The Maine Drug Data Hub is a collaboration between several state departments, the Governor’s Office, the University of Maine and the Maine Overdose Data to Action program funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Hub aggregates state and community information and provides resources, data, and visualizations to inform Mainers about efforts to reduce the harm caused by drug use. Data is updated monthly, quarterly, and annually depending on data source reporting cadence. New data metrics are added as they become available. The primary contact for questions and requests is Daniel S. Soucier, Research Associate, Rural Drug & Alcohol Research Program, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine: daniel.s.soucier@maine.edu

The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) is the lead agency in Maine addressing drug trafficking. The MDEA provides annual data regarding drug-related arrests. Only drugs seized for criminal charges are listed and the data does not indicate what other drug or drugs may have been seized or found at the scene. For example, a drug arrest may have occurred for the sale of fentanyl but the individual may have also been in possession of methamphetamine. One limitation to this data set is that drug enforcement activities are resource dependent and resource driven. Thus, as more or less funds become available they are mobilized against emergent and high priority substance trafficking. MDEA data is an indicator of priority substances being targeted by law enforcement as well as an indicator of what substances are in the drug supply rather than an indicator of law enforcement activity. The primary contact for data requests is Roy E. McKinney, Director, MDEA: roy.e.mckinney@maine.gov

Maine EMS is a bureau within the Department of Public Safety. Maine EMS also contracts with regional partners in six defined Maine EMS regions to help oversee training, quality assurance, medical direction and EMS system operations. Maine EMS collects data from 293 licensed service providers located across the state of Maine. The primary contract for data requests is Darren Davis, Data Coordinator, Maine Emergency Medical Services: darren.w.davis@maine.gov

The Maine Naloxone Distribution Initiative (MNDI) began ordering and distributing state-purchased naloxone to community organizations, clinical sites, and end-users throughout the State of Maine to distribute free of charge. Data regarding naloxone orders, distribution, and successful opioid reversals are self-reported by four state contracted public health and harm reduction organizations and analyzed by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine. The primary contact for data requests is Marcella Sorg, Director, Rural Drug & Alcohol Research Program, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine: mhsorg@maine.edu

The Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), an office of the Maine Attorney General, investigates sudden, unexpected and violent deaths throughout the state. The OCME provides the citizens of Maine with comprehensive, scientific, forensic investigation of deaths that fall within the jurisdiction of the office. Drug death data is released on an annual, quarterly, and monthly basis regarding suspected and confirmed cases. The primary contact for data requests is Marcella Sorg, Director, Rural Drug & Alcohol Research Program, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine: mhsorg@maine.edu

The Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) supports Maine’s children and their families by providing Children’s Development, Behavioral Health, & Child Welfare Services. OCFS reports data regarding child welfare, children’s behavioral health, and childhood education. Use the following link to explore the OCFS Key Measures Dashboard. The primary contact for data requests is Mandy Milligan, Office of Child and Family Services: mandy.milligan@maine.gov

The Maine Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) maintains a secure database that is implemented across the State of Maine to improve public health by providing data on controlled substance drug use information prior to providers prescribing or dispensing controlled substances. Data is submitted by Maine pharmacies, mail-service pharmacies, remote-dispensing pharmacies, and other dispensers including physicians and veterinarians. The primary contact for data requests is Jennifer Marlowe, PMP & IT Project Coordinator, Office of Behavioral Health: jennifer.marlowe@maine.gov

Maine Pretrial Services tracks data regarding Maine’s Co-Occuring Disorders Court, Family Treatment Drug Court, Adult Treatment Drug Court and other alternative sentencing programs. Data is reported to the Office of Behavioral Health and consists of program referrals, admissions, graduations, and discharges. The primary contact for data requests is info@mainepretrial.org.

Maine’s recovery data comes from several self-reporting organization including the Maine Association of Recovery Residences (MARR) and the Maine Recovery Hub. Data is reported through the Office of Behavioral Health. The primary contact for data requests is Michael Freysinger, Social Services Recovery Manager, Office of Behavioral Health: michael.freysinger@maine.gov

The Maine Statewide Epidemiology Outcome Workgroup (SEOW) provides data regarding substance misuse prevention planning. They provide data regarding substance misuse patterns and populations, establish substance abuse trends, detect emerging substances, and provide information for policy development and program planning. Use the following link to explore the Maine SEOW Dashboard. The primary contact for data requests is Tim Diomede, Research Analyst, Public Consulting Group: timothy.diomede@maine.gov

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is a nationwide survey that provides information on tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, mental health and other health-related issues. Information from NSDUH is used to support prevention and treatment programs, monitor substance use trends, estimate the need for treatment and inform public health policy.

NSDUH defines Illicit Drugs as marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including base), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or any prescription drug used non-medically. Dependence, misuse, or abuse definitions are taken from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and Serious Mental Illness is defined as a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that meets the criteria found in the DSM and resulted in functional impairment that substantially interfered with or limited one or more major life activities.

Use the following link to explore the NSDUH website.

The Northern New England Poison Center (NNEPC) serves Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The NNEPC provides free, 24-hour poison emergency and information help line, available at 1-800-222-1222, by online chat or by texting POISON to 85511. The NNEPC serves the general public as well as health care professionals. The drug categories from NNEPC are as follows: alcohol includes alcohol-containing substances such as mouth wash and rubbing alcohol; opioids includes buprenorphine, codeine, fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, heroin, Hydrocodone, hydromorphone, Meperidine (Demerol), methadone, morphine, Oxycodone, propoxyphene, stomach opioids, tramadol, and other/unknown opioids; stimulants/street drugs include amphetamine, caffeine tablets, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), dextroamphetamine, ecstasy, marijuana and other cannabis, methamphetamine, other/unknown stimulants/street drugs; These data are only reflective of cases in which the NNEPC was contacted for consultation. The primary contact for data requests is Colin Smith, Data Requests and Website Maintenance Admin, Northern New England Poison Center: smithc12@mmc.org

The Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program provides near real-time suspected overdose surveillance data across jurisdictions to support public safety and public health efforts to mobilize an immediate response to a sudden increase, or spike in overdose events. Public health and community organizations can sign up for spike alerts to be aware and educate their constituents regarding rapid increases in overdoses occurring within their communities if there is a participating public safety department employing the software locally. The primary contact for data requests and spike alerts is Sybil Mazerolle, Substance-Use Disorder Program Manager, Office of Behavioral Health: sybil.mazerolle@maine.gov

After each National Prescription Drug Take Back Day the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division publishes the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Collection Results. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for misuse of medications. Reports are published annually or semi-annually. Use the following link to access the DEA Diversion Website for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.