Best Substance Abuse in Maine — 13 resources

About Substance Abuse for Women

Substance use treatment in the US is delivered through state-licensed providers, mutual-aid programs (AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety), hospital detox, methadone clinics, and sober living. SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) and findtreatment.gov locate local programs 24/7. For pregnant and parenting women, federally funded Pregnant and Postpartum Women (PPW) programs provide specialized residential and outpatient care that allows children on-site. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the standard for opioid use disorder, and family drug courts offer treatment-based alternatives to losing custody. This directory aggregates each state's single state agency for SUD, women-specific treatment, MAT providers, and recovery meetings.

Substance Abuse in Maine

Maine district courts handle most family matters; superior courts handle more complex cases and appeals. The Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery operates under DHHS. Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, and Auburn are the largest cities. Pine Tree Legal Assistance and the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence support women, with strong online self-help resources for custody and support.

13 Resources

1. Milestone Foundation — Portland

Milestone at 100 India St in Portland is the only low-barrier shelter and detox program in southern Maine for women and men experiencing homelessness and active substance use. Services include medical detox, an emergency shelter, and HOME (homeless outreach mobile engagement). Call 207-772-5326 for current detox bed availability.

207-772-5326 · 100 India St, Portland, ME 04101 · 24/7 residential

2. Discovery House — Bangor

Discovery House at 26 Springer Dr in Bangor is an opioid-treatment program offering methadone and buprenorphine maintenance with counseling. MaineCare accepted; private insurance and sliding-scale options for the uninsured. Call 207-973-0321; early-morning intake works best for new patients on dosing day.

207-973-0321 · 26 Springer Dr, Bangor, ME 04401 · Mon-Fri 6am-2pm · Visit Website

3. Crossroads for Women — Portland

Crossroads at 120 Park St in Portland is Maine's only women-specific residential and outpatient substance-use treatment program, with trauma-informed care and a children-of-recovering-mothers program. MaineCare accepted; private pay and sliding scale available. Call 207-773-9931 to start screening.

207-773-9931 · 120 Park St, Portland, ME 04101 · 24/7 residential · Visit Website

4. Wellspring Inc. — Bangor

Wellspring at 98 Cumberland St in Bangor runs men's and women's residential recovery houses, outpatient counseling, and a recovery-housing program serving Penobscot County. MaineCare and sliding-scale fees. Call 207-941-1612 to ask about current openings and the women's house waitlist.

207-941-1612 · 98 Cumberland St, Bangor, ME 04401 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

5. SAMHSA Treatment Locator — Free

FindTreatment.gov is the federal directory of every licensed substance-use treatment facility in the US — searchable by Maine zip code with filters for women-only, pregnant-women priority, MaineCare-accepting, and MAT (medication for opioid use) programs.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. Alcoholics Anonymous — Free

AA's Maine meeting locator at aamaine.org lists hundreds of weekly in-person meetings statewide plus online and women-only options. Free, anonymous, no membership requirements beyond a desire to stop drinking.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. Narcotics Anonymous — Free

NA's worldwide meeting locator includes Maine in the Northern New England Region — daily meetings in Portland, Bangor, Lewiston, and Augusta with growing online and women-only options. Free and anonymous.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. SMART Recovery — Free

Science-based alternative to 12-step programs using CBT and motivational tools. Active Maine SMART meetings run in Portland and Bangor plus several online groups — useful for Maine women who do not connect with the spiritual framework of AA/NA.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Women for Sobriety — Free

Women-only recovery program built around the New Life Acceptance Statements, with online meetings throughout the week and a Maine chapter community. A good fit for women whose recovery feels safer in a single-gender space.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. Al-Anon Family Groups — Free

Al-Anon's Maine intergroup at maine-al-anon.org lists meetings statewide for families and friends of alcoholics, including in-person and Zoom options. Free, anonymous, and welcoming to first-timers — useful for mothers whose partner, parent, or adult child is drinking.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Nar-Anon — Free

Nar-Anon's Maine meetings support families and friends of someone struggling with drug use. With Maine's high overdose rate, many mothers turn to Nar-Anon for boundary-setting tools and peer support while a loved one is in active use or early recovery.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Shatterproof — Free

National advocacy organization fighting addiction stigma and pushing evidence-based treatment standards. Shatterproof's Treatment Atlas lets Maine mothers and family members compare facility quality on measurable indicators — useful before placing someone in residential treatment.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Faces & Voices of Recovery — Free

National organization elevating the voices of people in long-term recovery. The Recovery Community Organization directory lists Maine member groups including Portland Recovery Community Center and Bangor Area Recovery Network.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many substance abuse resources are in Maine?
Women's Corner tracks 13 substance abuse resources for women in Maine.
Are substance abuse resources in Maine free?
9 of the 13 listed substance abuse resources in Maine are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Maine have substance abuse resources?
Listings span cities including Portland, Bangor.
What are some examples of substance abuse resources in Maine?
Featured entries include Milestone Foundation — Portland, Discovery House — Bangor, Crossroads for Women — Portland, Wellspring Inc. — Bangor, SAMHSA Treatment Locator.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
4 of 13 Maine substance abuse listings include phone numbers.
Where do I start if I want help with addiction?
Call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) — free, confidential, 24/7. They connect you to local treatment, support groups, and women-specific programs. FindTreatment.gov lets you search by location, payment, and women's services. Medicaid covers treatment in every state under the Mental Health Parity Act.
Will I lose my kids if I go to treatment?
Voluntarily seeking treatment is almost always viewed favorably by family court and CPS — it shows responsibility. Many states have women-and-children residential treatment programs where your kids stay with you during recovery (search SAMHSA's directory for 'residential treatment for women with children'). Hiding addiction is far more dangerous to custody than addressing it.
Are there women-only treatment programs?
Yes — research shows women have better outcomes in gender-specific treatment because programs address trauma, parenting, pregnancy, and DV that fuel addiction differently for women. SAMHSA's directory filters by 'programs for women' and 'pregnant/postpartum women.' Most include childcare or family housing.
What about pregnancy and addiction?
Call 1-800-662-HELP immediately — they prioritize pregnant women for treatment, and federal law requires treatment programs to admit pregnant women on the same day or refer immediately. Medication-assisted treatment (methadone, buprenorphine) is safer for the baby than untreated addiction or withdrawal. Most states have laws protecting pregnant women seeking treatment from prosecution.