The New England ATTC is proud to partner with the Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) in Portland, Maine to provide state-of-the-art training and technical assistance in Motivational Interviewing throughout the New England region. Through the ATTC subcontract, HETI has been collaborating with the Portland Recovery Community Center to train residents at the Maine Department of Corrections in the empathy and compassion-based practice of Motivational Interviewing. One resident in particular, who is currently pursuing a degree at the University of Maine Augusta in substance use disorder, has taken their passion for Motivational Interviewing and helping others to new heights by working with HETI as part of an internship for their degree.

This resident engages with Motivational Interviewing by attending HETI’s weekly Learning Communities where they practice their MI skills, attending weekly Men’s Support Groups, and offering 1-1 Coaching for other residents as a Recovery Coach and as part of his education endeavor. This resident’s engagement in this program is breaking barriers within correctional facilities by offering support to other residents, and this model has become so important to the Department of Corrections, that this resident is now offering his expertise and experience in this program to the Tennessee Department of Corrections statewide. This success highlights how integral Motivational Interviewing is in supporting those in the Department of Corrections, and how transformative it can be for future residents who want to work within the department as Recovery Coaches and MI experts to support their peers in finding empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding for one another.