FARMINGTON — Substance abuse, affordable housing and employment are the most immediate challenges in Franklin County, according to some of the 150 people at the first forum hosted by the group We Are Franklin County! Where Every Life Matters on Wednesday.

The public was invited to the Mt. Blue Campus to discuss improving the coordination and delivery of services by agencies to those in need.

We Are Franklin County! Where Every Life Matters is a collaborative enterprise that includes representatives from the community, Franklin County Children’s Task Force, Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Services, Franklin County Health Network, the University of Maine at Farmington and the Farmington Police Department. Its purpose is to build sustainable systems to meet the needs of the community.

The forum was held to learn the needs and concerns that affect students, families and members of the community, Regional School Unit 9 Superintendent Thomas Ward said.

While issues of drugs, alcohol and suicides affect the community as a whole, schools reflect what is going on in the community and in homes, he said. There is a need to raise awareness to help support families, students and parents.

“We worked hard to push drugs and alcohol off our campus, but we need to do more than that,” Ward said. “We need to know what’s going on in our communities.”

Ward encouraged participants — from teens to seniors — to relax and share their concerns in smaller, roundtable discussions. The information will be used to take the next step, said Liam Shaw, forum host and Community Health and Counseling Services manager.

He said the turnout was “fantastic.”

Stacey Bourassa, community educator at Franklin County Children’s Task Force, shared her story of growing up in Franklin County, saying support from teachers, coaches, a caring aunt and uncle and others helped her build a life she is thankful for after traumatic childhood experiences. 

“They all saw something in me and took a chance,” she said.

One community resource that’s needed, she said, is people willing to give of themselves on behalf of others.

Other issues and resources mentioned by participants were lack of transportation, awareness of services, behavioral health programs, preventive programs and money.

Challenges included holding the hard conversations about drugs, sex and suicide.

Ward said when the school board sought to start the Mt. Blue Regional School District Safe Schools Committee to address issues of drugs and suicides, over 30 people got involved. From that committee came the countywide collaborative.

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