Diego Martinez is a second-year mental health and human services student at the University of Maine at Augusta, with a focus on addiction counseling. He is currently incarcerated at the Bolduc Correctional Facility.

Maine spends substantial public resources each year trying to reduce recidivism. Yet, one
of our most effective resources remains largely overlooked: professionally trained behavioral health professionals with lived experience of incarceration, addiction and long-term recovery.

If experience is one of the greatest qualifications in many professions, why are we failing to fully rely on people who have overcome the very challenges they are now trained to help others navigate?

Every year, individuals leave Maine correctional facilities determined never to return, yet many quickly become trapped in a cycle of addiction and re-incarceration. According to the Maine Department of Corrections, about 10% of individuals released from its facilities between 2012 and 2021 returned to custody within one year. The first two weeks after release are especially dangerous.

Formerly incarcerated individuals face a risk of death over 12 times higher than the general population, largely because of overdose and other preventable causes. Despite decades of correctional and reentry initiatives, these outcomes remain stubbornly persistent. If we are serious about improving public safety and reducing recidivism, we need to rethink who is providing support.

Too often, formerly incarcerated individuals are viewed as recipients of services rather than professionals capable of delivering them. That perspective overlooks one of the most valuable forms of expertise available: lived experience strengthened by education, professional training, certification and ethical practice. Individuals who have overcome addiction and incarceration possess knowledge that cannot be learned from textbooks alone. That experience becomes an asset capable of transforming lives.

When someone in early recovery sees a professional who has overcome similar struggles and built a successful life, they see more than a counselor.

This issue is especially important today because communities across Maine are struggling
to respond to substance use disorders while treatment providers face shortages of qualified workers.

The Maine Monitor recently reported difficulties filling behavioral health positions despite growth in the number of licensed professionals. At a time when Maine needs qualified workers, we should not overlook people whose lived experience makes them uniquely prepared to help.

During my own journey through incarceration and recovery, I watched countless men leave prison determined to change, only to end up dead or return months later. I have also watched people begin recovery when someone finally convinced them that their past did not have to determine their future.

A professionally trained behavioral health professional with lived experience offers something different: credibility. They understand the fears, setbacks and barriers that accompany reentry. They lived them. People are more likely to remain engaged when they believe the person helping them genuinely understands their experiences.

Hope is often the missing ingredient in recovery. When someone in early recovery sees a professional who has overcome similar struggles and built a successful life, they see more than a counselor. They see proof that lasting change is possible. That kind of hope cannot be manufactured; it’s earned through lived experience.

The benefits extend far beyond individual recovery. When formerly incarcerated individuals remain sober, employed and connected to their communities, recidivism declines. Fewer crimes are committed, fewer people become victims, families remain together and Maine communities become safer.

The financial impact is equally significant. Maine pays more than $99,000 per year for each incarcerated person. Every individual who avoids returning to prison represents a personal success story and taxpayer savings for Maine.

I understand why Maine considers criminal histories when deciding who can work in behavioral health. Public safety must remain a priority, especially when professionals work with vulnerable people. But a criminal record should not automatically outweigh years of rehabilitation, professional education, certification and recovery.

Maine should continue investing in education and career pathways for people leaving prison and those in long-term recovery. Maine licensing boards and employers should also evaluate qualified applicants individually rather than automatically excluding them because of their criminal records. A completed degree, professional credential, and years of recovery should matter. If our goal is to reduce recidivism and improve public safety, why are we overlooking professionals who have overcome the challenges they help others face?

We often say people deserve a second chance. If we truly believe that, we should also believe they deserve the opportunity to use their hard-earned experience to help others succeed.

Sometimes the people who once needed saving become the very people best equipped to save lives. Recognizing that potential is not simply an investment in those leaving prison; it is an investment in safer Maine communities, stronger families and a more effective justice system for all of us.