Recovery changed Biddeford-area resident’s life, now she helps others | County Report

From the Streets to the Front Desk: Biddeford’s Kelsie Fitch Leads the Way in Maine’s New Recovery Center

Biddeford, Maine – In the quiet town of Biddeford, a 33‑year‑old woman named Kelsie Fitch has become a living testament to the power of second chances. After years of battling substance abuse, multiple arrests and two stints in jail, Fitch is now a recovery advocate, a housing director for women’s treatment homes, and a counselor for opioid‑dependent patients. Her story, which began in a 10th‑grade dropout and a prescription for oxycodone, is set against the backdrop of Maine’s expanding recovery services, including the soon‑to‑open York County Recovery Center in Alfred.

A Rocky Start

Fitch’s first encounters with drugs were typical for a teenager—alcohol and marijuana while still in high school. A gall‑bladder surgery introduced her to oxycodone, a prescription painkiller that would later spark a deeper dependency. “Someone told me heroin could give a similar effect, and from there one thing led to another,” Fitch recalls. She went on to use heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl over a two‑year period that left her feeling trapped and disconnected from herself.

“The end of using, I knew I didn’t want to live that life anymore,” she said. “I didn’t like who I had become, and I didn’t feel like myself.”

Turning Point: The Layman Way Recovery Center

The pivotal moment came when Fitch was court‑ordered to a six‑month residential program at the former Layman Way Recovery Center, a York County initiative that offered an alternative to jail for non‑violent drug offenders. “I didn’t understand what the program was or what recovery could look like,” she explained. “That recovery center ended up changing my life.”

While there, Fitch earned her high‑school equivalency, joined a 12‑step program, and experienced a brief relapse that forced her to spend additional time in the residential setting. Nevertheless, she emerged sober and determined. “I couldn’t stay sober when I was released from jail,” she said. “That program really supported me.”

Her official recovery date—June 13, 2019—remains a turning point she never forgets. A year later, she began working at Shalom House in Portland, a facility that taught her about mental health and the complexities of co‑occurring disorders.

From Patient to Professional

Today, Fitch serves multiple roles that keep her deeply involved in the recovery community. She is the housing director for two women’s residential recovery residences, ensuring that the environment stays supportive and structured. She also works as a recovery care navigator and alcohol and drug counseling aide for a program aimed at individuals struggling with opioid addiction. “Recovery gave me a life that I truly never thought was possible for me, and I hope someone who is struggling knows that their life can change for the better, too,” Fitch told a September interview.

Her message is simple but powerful: “Take suggestions from people willing to help, people who have been where you are.” She encourages newcomers to listen, to take things one day at a time, and to accept the first step toward recovery. “You don’t have to have everything figured out, you just have to be willing to take that first step and accept help,” she added.

The New York County Recovery Center

In line with Fitch’s advocacy, York County is preparing to open a new 58‑bed residential recovery center on First County Way in Alfred early next year. The facility will include a detox program, 30‑ and 180‑day residential stays, and an intensive outpatient program. It will also house a 12‑step support group and a counseling office, among other resources. The center is an expansion of the county’s recovery services, following the original Layman Way program.

“Seeing more recovery services become available is encouraging,” Fitch said. “It means that more people can get the help they need right here in our community.”

A Lasting Impact

Fitch’s journey from the brink of addiction to a position of leadership underscores the importance of comprehensive, accessible recovery programs. Her work provides a model for how former addicts can turn personal struggle into community service, offering guidance to those still in the throes of substance use.

As Maine continues to expand its treatment infrastructure, stories like Fitch’s remind residents that recovery is not a distant dream but a tangible, attainable path. Her life, once marked by uncertainty and relapse, now serves as a beacon of hope for anyone seeking a new beginning.