Aroostook County, Maine residents facing substance use disorder charges now have an option that did not exist until this month: the county’s first-ever treatment and recovery court, offering structured addiction treatment as an alternative to prison.
The Aroostook County Adult Treatment and Recovery Court admitted its first participant on July 9, closing a gap that had left The County as the only judicial jurisdiction in Maine without one.
What This Means for Aroostook County Residents
Until this launch, recovery behind bars was the only option available to people in northern Maine facing substance use disorder related charges.
Superior Court Justice Stephen Nelson, who presided over the inaugural session in Caribou, called it an important resource for the Aroostook community.
The program combines intensive judicial supervision, substance use disorder treatment, frequent drug testing, case management, and coordinated support from a multidisciplinary team of attorneys, probation officers, law enforcement, and treatment providers.
For a county spanning 6,671 square miles, getting this program running required extra coordination, according to Aroostook County District Attorney Todd Collins.
Attorneys, probation officers, family members, and others across any Aroostook County courthouse can now submit referrals for people with pending cases, regardless of location within the county.
Understanding Drug Treatment Courts
Treatment and recovery courts, known in Maine as specialty dockets, hold participants accountable through regular court appearances while connecting them to evidence-based addiction treatment and services designed to reduce reoffending and support long-term recovery.
Applicants must go through a screening process and plead guilty to their charges before entering the program.
Once admitted, participants meet regularly with the presiding judge, maintain weekly contact with case managers and probation officers, stay employed, pay fines, remain sober, and submit to random drug testing.
Maine currently operates adult drug treatment courts in 15 of its 16 counties, funded in part through Department of Justice grants awarded in 2022.
The Aroostook court is the product of more than two years of legislative work, beginning with a 2023 bill and continuing through 2025 funding that finally became available this month.
A Long Road to Get Here
Legislative momentum for an Aroostook County drug treatment court started building in 2021, when Gov. Janet Mills’ opioid action plan recommended new treatment courts for the midcoast and Aroostook regions.
A 2024 bill establishing the Aroostook court passed the Legislature and was signed into law, but went unfunded that year.
It took a second funding bill in 2025 to finally get pre-trial services, a new assistant district attorney position, and public defense services in place.
Finding Addiction Treatment in Aroostook County
If you or a loved one in Aroostook County is facing a substance use disorder related legal case, referrals to the new Treatment and Recovery Court can be submitted through the court clerk using the Treatment Court Referral Form (CR-234), available on the Maine Judicial Branch’s website.
Beyond the court system, Aroostook County residents can also seek addiction treatment directly through local providers without waiting for a legal referral.
Addictions.com lists rehab centers across Maine, including options for detox, inpatient, and outpatient care. Search the directory for programs near you in Aroostook County and across northern Maine.