Aunt of woman who died at York County Jail wants answers

State police are investigating Nicole Turner's death as a suspected overdose, prompting Peggy Turner to ask how her niece got drugs in jail or whether she was going through withdrawal.

Fatal drug overdoses soar in Portland, mirroring statewide trend

There have been 28 in the city in the first six months of 2022, surpassing the 23 that occurred in all of last year.

More Maine health care professionals entering substance use, mental health programs

More doctors, nurses and health care providers are receiving help amid the pandemic. The uptick reflects the increase in substance use overall.

Supreme Court sides with doctors convicted in pain pill schemes

Justice Stephen Breyer wrote that prosecutors must prove that doctors knew they were illegally prescribing powerful pain drugs in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Community conversation Friday in Rumford about opioid crisis

Maine Student Action hosting panelists at Mountain Valley High School.

Kari Morissette, director of Church of Safe Injection, dead at 33

In announcing Morissette's passing, peers described her as "a fierce advocate and friend to people who use drugs, fighting for their health, rights and dignity."

Data Sheet: Child deaths in Maine and caseworker staffing

The Sun Journal analyzed data from Maine Department of Health and Human Services reports on child welfare.

Methodology: Where the child welfare and education data came from

Data Sheet: Education costs

The Sun Journal obtained annual financial data for Maine school districts from the 2005-06 school year through the 2020-21 school year through a Freedom of Access Act request made to the Maine Department of Education.

The opioid epidemic is putting immense pressure on Maine’s child welfare and education systems

In half of all cases in Maine in which a child is removed from the home, an Office of Child and Family Services investigation identified the parent or caregiver's substance use a risk factor.