Community Access

Can I provide input on spending?

• 50% Maine Recovery Fund share: Yes (required). According to the bylaws of the Maine Recovery Council (Council), which directs uses of this 50% share,[1] the Council is required to meet publicly at least twice a year and use at least one meeting to host a “public forum through which the Council can receive input from stakeholders and the public.”[2] The Council is also required to consult with the public on the methods, findings, and conclusions of the statewide opioid abatement needs assessment that it must complete at least every two years.[3]

  • The Council’s November 2023 public forum included the opportunity for in-person or written comments, and an online survey was also distributed to solicit public input. Sign up for the Council’s meeting updates (upper right side of this webpage) and watch out for similar opportunities to submit feedback in future.

  • Details on upcoming and past meetings of the Council can be reviewed here. Recent agendas indicate that most regular meetings do not include the opportunity for public comment.

• 30% local share: Up to each locality (not required). Local governments are not required to seek public input on uses of their collective 30% shares. However, each may choose to seek such input. For example, the Rockland City Council voted to establish a committee to develop spending recommendations for opioid settlement funds. Those recommendations “will then go to Rockland citizens through a participatory budgeting process.”[4] Watch for other opportunities to weigh in on city and county spending decisions, such as city council meetings and town halls.

• 20% state share: No opportunities available (not required). The state has not established recurring opportunities for the public to provide input on uses of its 20% share.[5]

Can I apply for grants?

Yes. The Maine Recovery Council has previously invited community organizations to apply for funding. Visit the Council’s website to see current funding opportunities. Local governments also may create grant programs to distribute their share of funds. The existence, parameters, and processes for local settlement grant programs will vary by locality, so stay alert for new opportunities. Visit the Opioid Settlement Community Grants Portals (OpioidSettlementTracker.com and Legal Action Center) for the most up-to-date information on settlement grant opportunities for community organizations.

Where do I go for updates?

• For updates on the Maine Recovery fund share, visit the Maine Recovery Council’s website and subscribe to its email notifications. The state Attorney General’s (AG) Opioids website also contains a calendar of the state’s opioid settlement-related meetings and events, and a linked FAQs page directs questions about the Council to [e-mail].[6]

• FAQs from Maine’s AG states that the “best way to find out about what your community is doing with its settlement funds is to call your county administrators, or if your city or town is a participating subdivision[,] … the city or town office” and provides a list of participating subdivisions and contact information. See also websites for the individual localities (e.g., Cumberland County, Franklin County).

• A single resource containing updates specific to the state share could not be found.[7] For general updates, see the state Attorney General’s Opioids website.

What else should I know?

Not applicable.

Citations

1. Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 5, Sec. 203-C(2). ↑

2. Bylaws of the Maine Recovery Council, Sec. 4.2 (January 31, 2024). ↑

3. Bylaws of the Maine Recovery Council, Sec. 2.2 (January 31, 2024). ↑

4. Stephen Betts. Rockland OKs committee to decide how to spend opioid settlement. The Courier-Gazette. April 5, 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

5. If you see this change, email [e-mail]. There is no legal requirement for decision-makers to seek public input on uses of this share. ↑

6. 2023 Opioid Settlements FAQs. Office of the Maine Attorney General website. Accessed September 1, 2024 (“8. Who do I contact for more information? To contact your county, city or town please see above for the list of contact information. For inquiries to the Maine Recovery Counsel, please email: [e-mail]”). ↑

7. If you see this change, email [e-mail]. ↑