Meet the Pine Tree Recovery Center Staff
Janine Duggan, Day Charge Nurse

Meet Janine Duggan, Day Charge Nurse at Pine Tree Recovery Center.

Janine brings over 10 years of professional nursing experience to the PTRC team. She not only comes equipped with a decade of medical expertise, but she brings a deep level of compassion and understanding to her work. Having gone through the substance use disorder treatment process herself, Janine makes herself available to patients who might need a little extra encouragement or support.

“I’ve been a nurse for around 10 years,” Janine explains. “Before I got into nursing I did some childcare. I was an infant and toddler teacher before I was a teacher, and I taught full-time for several years. When I first got sober myself I took on a recovery-friendly job and lifeguarded for a summer.”

Originally from Massachusetts, Janine moved to Maine when she began her personal journey of substance use disorder recovery. “The Plymouth House was around when I first got sober,” she explains. “But Pine Tree Recovery Center was not around. I got scholarshipped into a program [that no longer exists]. I’m grateful to have ended up where I did; my path ultimately brought me to the position I’m in today.”

Her Professional Journey

“Both of my parents are nurses, and they tried to convince me to follow suit early on. I resisted doing so for a very long time. I wanted to be a teacher, but as I got older I started realizing that I might have some interest in nursing. I took some nursing classes and I really enjoyed it, so I made the decision to go to nursing school. I’ve been a professional nurse for 10 years. I started my journey in a nursing home, and then I began working in a rehabilitation facility. I’ve worked in a jail, too. Since I’ve been in Maine, Pine Tree Recovery Center has been my only nursing job.”

A Day in the Life of a Charge Nurse

“We have a smaller group of nurses here than in any other setting I’ve worked in,” Janine explains. “It’s nice, it’s allowed us to become very close. The nursing station is just you and one other person for 12 hours at a time. The clinical program at Pine Tree is really strong. Something that really strikes me is that our patients appreciate our facility in the sense that we consistently make them feel cared for. For example, I was just speaking with someone about nursing in other settings, specifically psychiatric hospital settings. We were discussing the fact that substance use disorders are still largely stigmatized. At Pine Tree, the nurses and the rest of the staff are extremely compassionate and non-judgemental. Patients feel very comfortable for the duration of their stay.”

MaineCare Expansion

Janine mentions her excitement about Pine Tree Recovery Center’s in-network contract with MaineCare.

“There aren’t a lot of detox centers in Maine in general, and specifically not in the Portland area,” she says. “Accepting MaineCare is going to be extremely beneficial for those who need detox services and wouldn’t have had access otherwise.”

Pine Tree Recovery Center’s in-network status with MaineCare removes a significant financial barrier many Maine residents face when seeking treatment for substance use disorders. The 2022 Maine Shared Community Health Needs Assessment Report cites challenges in accessing mental healthcare as a top health priority, noting social risk factors including inadequate insurance coverage as the most significant preventative factor.

“What we’re able to do for the local community is great,” Janine adds. “I’m looking forward to helping as many people as possible.”

The Joys of Motherhood

Janine spends time with her daughter when she isn’t working. “I have several hobbies that I’ve put on hold while I raise my daughter,” she says. “But I wouldn’t trade time spent with her for anything.”