WATERVILLE — Connie Coggins, HealthReach president and CEO, has announced a new partnership with the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine, an initiative of the Slavin Academy at Massachusetts General Hospital and its Time to Ask program.

Time to Ask is an educational program transforming conversations around alcohol use. It teaches interprofessional teams in primary care to intervene early and routinely with patients so they can make informed decisions about alcohol consumption.

Many people consume alcohol, yet know little about specific risks and impacts on their bodies. Primary care practices are uniquely situated to identify patients who are at risk for unhealthy drinking. By empowering HealthReach’s health care teams with the necessary education, skills and onsite practice support that Time to Ask provides, clinicians and staff alike can confidently engage with patients and address alcohol use before patients are at a greater risk of developing a disorder, according to a news release.

“We are pleased to be working with Lunder-Dineen in implementing their Time to Ask program. Supporting our staff with education and workflows to identify and address unhealthy alcohol use is a critical element in our Substance Use Disorder Learning Collaborative,” Coggins said in the release.

This partnership is a part of HealthReach initiatives in 2024 and beyond to broaden access to Substance Use Disorder services and education, and to decrease barriers that prevent patients from getting the help that they need.