Marcella Sorg, Dominic Piacenti, Eric Miller, and Alex Rezk collaged side-by-side across the top, and a table displaying informational brochures and Narcan nasal spray boxes across the bottom.

2026 Governor’s 8th Annual Opioid Response Summit

August 17, 2026 General News

Dr. Marcella Sorg recently presented at the 2026 Governor’s 8th Annual Opioid Response Summit, an annual summary of data reviewing 2025 and 2026 drug overdose trends, including overdose responses and reversals by members of the law enforcement community.

Research Associate Dominic Piacentini was on the ‘Aging and Addiction: Bringing Older Adults into the SUD Conversation’ panel. The panel was organized by the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future’s Cabinet on Aging, which was established by Governor Mills in 2022 to support Maine people in aging safely and affordably. He presented data related to trends in fatal and nonfatal overdose rates and substance use disorder MaineCare claims among older Mainers. The panel also included experts in and discussion on ageism in healthcare, treatment access, and family dynamics. Research

Associate Eric Miller was on the ‘OPTIONS: Planting Recovery Seeds, Harvesting Hope’ panel. He presented data related to trends in the OPTIONS program of engagement, demographic information of people seeking connection to substance use disorder resources, and kits of naloxone distributed. The panel also included discussions about success stories of people with lived experience of substance use disorder and finding community.

Research Associate Alexander Rezk participated in the Maine Naloxone Distribution Initiative tabling, where conference attendees could discuss the program, how the availability of naloxone has affected the overdose response, and acquire naloxone kits.