Preliminary U.S. CDC analysis finds fatal overdoses decreased nationally by 3 percent in 2023; Maine, Kansas, Nebraska, and Indiana only states with annual decreases of 15 percent or more

Governor Janet Mills today announced that Maine experienced one of the nation’s largest percentage decreases in fatal overdoses in 2023, according to a preliminary statistical analysis released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this morning.

Overall, the U.S. CDC found that drug overdose deaths in the United States decreased by three percent in 2023, the first annual decrease since 2018. Drug overdose deaths in Maine decreased by nearly 16 percent over this same period; only Kansas, Nebraska, and Indiana also saw decreases of 15 percent or more, according to the report from the U.S. CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

This new provisional data comes as the Mills Administration continues to combat the opioid epidemic by expanding availability and distribution of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone; strengthening drug prevention initiatives in communities and schools; and increasing the number of treatment beds across the state, among other strategies.

“This encouraging Federal data shows that the policies enacted by my Administration and the Legislature are making meaningful progress in our fight against the opioid epidemic. While we are cautiously optimistic, we know our work is far from over,” said Governor Janet Mills. “We will continue to work with partners across the state to prevent substance abuse disorder, to expand treatment options for those facing addiction, and to save lives.”

“This analysis is cause for hope for all those working to fight the opioid epidemic every day,” said Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew and Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) Director Sarah Squirrell. “But we will not rest in our efforts to prevent substance use disorder, improve access to treatment, and help those who are already on their path to recovery. There is more to be done and we’re grateful to our partners across the state as we continue to work to save the lives of Maine people struggling with substance use disorder.”

“Although fatal overdoses in Maine may have lessened over the past year, Maine people are still losing too many friends and family members to substance use disorder and highly lethal drugs like fentanyl,” said Gordon Smith, Director of Opioid Response. “In partnership with many organizations, advocates, businesses, schools, hospitals, and people from across Maine, we will remain diligent and dogged in our efforts to prevent people from using drugs, connect people to recovery, and importantly, help keep people alive.”

“It is motivating to see these statistics going down both nationally and especially here in Maine, affirming that our significant efforts in-state are making a difference,” said Attorney General Aaron Frey. “We need to continue our focus on reducing overdose deaths and must continue to use all the tools at our disposal with the same urgency.”

 “These results stem from the extraordinary efforts by many people across the state who have stood up to take on the opioid crisis, including those in recovery who are helping those struggling with addiction, and Governor Mills and the team she put together to lead the state's efforts," said Dr. Erik Steele, Immediate Past President of the Maine Medical Association, and Physician Leader of the 1,000 Lives Campaign. "The fact that hundreds of Mainers continue to die each year from opioids, however, reminds us that there is much more to do, and that no one - no health care professional, business leader, church leader, parent, community leader, none of us - should be on the sidelines in this fight."

On May 2, Governor Mills celebrated the upcoming opening of Milestone Recovery’s expanded substance use disorder treatment program in Portland. In the last year, Maine has opened 50 treatment beds in Auburn, Bangor, Windham, Presque Isle, and Portland, with ten beds to come in both Androscoggin and Washington counties. Since Governor Mills took office, the number of treatment beds in Maine for substance use disorder has increased by 50 percent.

The supplemental budget signed by Governor Mills on April 22 included $4 million she proposed to expand Medication Assisted Treatment in Maine county jails, which builds upon the proven use of Medication Assisted Treatment in Maine prisons.

Other initiatives to address the opioid epidemic under Governor Mills include:

• Providing health insurance coverage through MaineCare expansion to over 100,000 Mainers, with nearly 30,000 individuals receiving treatment for substance use
• Expanding treatment for substance use and opioid use disorder with increases in Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), and increasing Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) and waivered providers across the state;
• Recruiting and training of over 1,000 recovery coaches;
• Increasing the number of Recovery Community Centers and Certified Recovery Residences across the state, with over 75 percent of Certified Recovery Residences supporting residents on medication for substance use disorders;
• Establishing the OPTIONS Program statewide, including recently adding nine new recovery coaches to OPTIONS teams in Maine to work alongside local emergency services and law enforcement to provide therapeutic interventions, outreach, referrals and post-overdose follow-up for individuals;
• Developing Maine's statewide naloxone distribution program and increasing distribution of Naloxone by over 100 percent from 2020 to 2022. Since 2019, the Mills Administration has distributed more than 493,000 doses of naloxone, which has been used to reverse 9,840 overdoses that may have otherwise been fatal;
• Expanding Maine's "Good Samaritan" law, first signed by Governor Mills in 2019, which encourages individuals to call for life-saving assistance when someone at their location is experiencing an overdose;
• Providing funding for medically monitored withdrawal beds through OBH to support room and board and other costs not covered by MaineCare;
• Dedicating $1 million to purchase and distribute test strips for the powerful sedative xylazine, a growing contributor to  overdoses in Maine
• Vastly expanding team-based treatment of opioid use disorder for eligible MaineCare members and uninsured individuals through Opioid Health Homes.

The Mills Administration in 2023 also updated its Opioid Response Strategic Plan. View the plan here (PDF).