With support from the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) through its Systems Improvement and Innovation Responsive Grants (SIIRG) program, Spurwink has implemented and expanded the Greater Portland Addiction Collaborative Pilot: Contingency Management for Stimulant Use Disorder (GPAC CoMS Pilot)—an innovative initiative aligned with MeHAF’s mission to improve health equity and expand access to effective, evidence‑based care for Maine’s most vulnerable communities.
At a time when stimulant use disorder was increasing statewide and few effective treatment options existed, MeHAF’s investment enabled Spurwink to pilot Contingency Management (CM), a highly validated treatment approach that uses small, structured incentives to support abstinence and sustained engagement in care. The program was designed to reach individuals facing significant barriers to treatment, including homelessness, repeated hospitalizations, and complex health conditions, and was implemented in close partnership with hospitals, recovery organizations, health centers, and municipal agencies across the Greater Portland region.
In its second year, the CM pilot served 101 individuals, delivering two weekly treatment sessions over a 12‑week period that combined drug screening, brief clinical interventions, and supportive services. Outcomes were exceptional: 55% of participants completed the full program, clients attended 1,212 treatment sessions, and 95% of drug screenings were negative for stimulants—demonstrating improved outcomes compared to the program’s first year and strong engagement among individuals often underserved by traditional treatment models.
The program’s impact extended beyond clinical outcomes. Participant trust and word‑of‑mouth became the program’s largest referral source, reflecting meaningful changes in individuals’ lives and strengthened community confidence in recovery‑oriented care. The pilot operated at a cost of approximately $600 per participant, underscoring the model’s cost‑effectiveness alongside its strong outcomes.
The success of Spurwink’s Contingency Management Program also gained national attention. In 2025, the program was featured in The New York Times in an article highlighting Contingency Management as a promising response to rising stimulant use, with specific focus on Spurwink’s pilot program in Portland and the experience of a participant enrolled in the program. Spurwink’s coverage explicitly acknowledged MeHAF’s role in funding the pilot and supporting innovation as Spurwink and its partners advocated for broader system change.
MeHAF’s support further enabled Spurwink to adapt and strengthen the model by adding a 12‑week maintenance phase for individuals who completed the initial program—an enhancement informed by emerging best practices and participant feedback. This evolution positioned the program for long‑term impact and replication.
Building on the Portland pilot, Spurwink is using lessons learned to support program expansion, advance advocacy efforts, and pursue long‑term sustainability through systemic changes, including increased Medicaid reimbursement for Contingency Management services. MeHAF’s investment has been instrumental in transforming Contingency Management from a promising pilot into a scalable solution with the potential to reshape stimulant use treatment across Maine.
