University of New England will expand training for opioid-response workforce

Group of students at University of New England

Photo / Courtesy of University of New England University of New England students from multiple health professions train with a standardized patient in UNE’s Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center.

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By Renee Cordes

The University of New England will use a $1.6 million federal grant to boost Maine’s behavioral health workforce by training providers in medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder.

Devon Anne Sherwood, an associate professor in UNE’s School of Pharmacy, will lead the project, which will be managed by the university’s new School of Public and Planetary Health.

A grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration will establish a certification program for UNE’s health professions students — as well as working professionals looking to advance their skills — to gain competency in a range of specialized training.

The program will cover integrated, interprofessional approaches to medication-assisted treatment, medication for opioid use disorder and medication-assisted recovery therapies.

'Critical gap'

All participating students will receive baseline training in substance use disorders and opioid use disorder, including stigma and social determinants of health and graduate with the necessary credentials to provide treatment.

“This program addresses a critical gap in Maine’s behavioral health system by preparing the next generation of clinicians to deliver evidence-based care for opioid use disorder,” Sherwood said.

“By starting at the ground level with our students, we are building a pipeline of professionals trained to address and treat opioid use disorders and provide access to life-saving care in the rural communities that need it most,” she added.

Sherwood said that, by creating an “arc” of education that extends from early exposure programs to advanced certification, the project aims to not only increase the number of behavioral health providers but also improve their retention in rural practice.

The University of New England has campuses in Biddeford and Portland, which house Maine’s only medical school, as well as overseas in Tangier, Morocco.

On a list of Maine's largest colleges and universities published by Mainebiz last year, UNE ranked No. 7. Rankings were based on undergraduate full-time enrollment in fall 2024. The 2026 Mainebiz Book of Lists will be published on Dec. 29.