Acadia Healthcare, the nation’s largest specialized behavioral healthcare provider, has taken steps to open a new treatment facility in Madison, Maine. Town officials confirmed the company has begun the licensing application process for a site at the Madison Business Gateway business park, marking progress after earlier plans faced community resistance.
Community Input Shapes Facility Location
The Franklin, Tennessee-based company initially planned to open a Comprehensive Treatment Center (CTC) at the former Taylor’s Drug Store on Old Point Avenue in downtown Madison.
Madison Town Manager Denise Ducharme told the town’s Select Board that Acadia representatives “recently contacted her to begin the process of applying for a license for a clinic under the town’s new ordinance.” The company now aims to establish its facility at an animal medical clinic building within the Madison Business Gateway off Route 148.
This shift follows the town’s passage of a restrictive ordinance in October 2024. The “Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs Ordinance” limits such facilities to specific areas—either the eastern side of Madison Business Gateway or along a 2.5-mile stretch of U.S. Route 201 between White School House Road and the Skowhegan line, with a requirement to be at least 500 feet from neighboring structures.
Addressing Local Treatment Needs
The planned facility would offer medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, including methadone and Suboxone (a combination medication containing buprenorphine and naloxone). These medications play a crucial role in managing opioid dependence when provided alongside counseling and behavioral therapies.
Adrienne Sass, Acadia’s regional director for Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont clinics, previously explained the company’s interest in Madison stems from patient demographics—approximately 250 patients at their Waterville clinic reside in Somerset County, with 150 living in Madison specifically. State officials had also requested additional treatment access in Somerset County.
Part of Broader Network
The Madison facility would join Acadia’s existing Maine treatment centers in South Portland, Rumford, Waterville, Bangor, Calais, and Presque Isle. These centers form part of the company’s network of more than 260 behavioral healthcare facilities operating across 39 states.
As noted in company materials, Acadia serves approximately 75,000 patients daily through various treatment settings, including “inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers, and outpatient clinics.”
Next Steps in the Process
The approval timeline remains uncertain. Town officials stated that Acadia must follow Madison’s established process, which includes several formal steps and public hearings. Code Enforcement Officer Jeffery Drew will determine whether the application requires Planning Board approval first or can proceed directly to Select Board review.
Select Board members discussed application fees, which are not specified in the ordinance, noting that “$1,000 is not out of the question,” according to Ducharme. While acknowledging Acadia faces “a bit of a time crunch,” she emphasized that the company must “play by our timeline.”
Select Board member Ron Moody expressed appreciation for Acadia’s willingness to adapt to community preferences: “They did us a good justice by leaving the corner down here. They really got an earful of how the townspeople thought about it. And I hope we can help them out as much as we can to get them established.”
The Madison project illustrates how healthcare facility planning requires collaboration between providers and communities to address both treatment needs and local concerns.
