As a DEEP-certified agency, Recovery Program East Coast Solutions is equipped to evaluate and treat people who have been charged with driving under the influence. The DEEP, or Driver Education and Evaluation Program, ensures that drivers have completed the proper treatment before driving again.
The Maine Driver Education and Evaluation Program (DEEP) is a program that offers education, treatment, and counseling services to people who have alcohol or drug issues while driving. DEEP's goal is to reduce the number of injuries, disabilities, and fatalities caused by alcohol and drug-related motor vehicle crashes, and to reduce the risk of re-offense for operating under the influence (OUI). DEEP is run by DHHS' Office of Behavioral Health, and there are two programs: one for drivers under 21 and a different program for drivers 21 and older.
Maine OUI laws state that, you are not allowed to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicant. Most drivers also need to understand that the legal limit is .08 percent Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).
In Maine, you can be arrested and charged with an OUI in Ellsworth even if you are within the legal limit. If an Ellsworth law enforcement officer suspects you of operating a vehicle in an impaired way, you will be arrested and asked to submit to tests for documentation.
If you are charged with a DUI, completing a Maine DEEP course is required as part of part of getting your license back after a suspension.So that, anyone charged with a DUI in Maine must fulfill the DEEP requirement to becoming eligible for an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) or have their driver’s license reinstated at the end of their license suspension.
In order for your license to be reinstated, it is required to have completed the following:
The required suspension period has been served
The driver has paid any reinstatement fees due to the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)
The driver is “Maine DEEP Compliant,” by successfully completed the DEEP course and submitted proof of completion to the BMV.
After your license goes under suspension, it is far more challenging to attend a weekend-long Maine DEEP course in a town that may be a far distance away from where you live.
Attending a DEEP Program in Ellsworth that can be potentially much closer to home and less crowded and also may have a less complicated scheduling situation.
Otherwise, signing up for and attending the Maine DEEP course is the client’s responsibility. For any questions regarding your situation, I encourage you to contact me directly for a consultation, or call the Maine DEEP office at 207-626-8600.
Maine DEEP is required of anyone charged with a DUI in Maine and whose driver’s license has been suspended. Completing the Maine DEEP requirement is needed to become eligible for an (IID) or for license reinstatement, however there is no specific deadline for when to take the Maine DEEP course. This means you can take the Maine DEEP course at any time. Of course, it is in divers’ best interests to complete the Maine DEEP requirement as soon as possible, because the sooner your Maine DEEP requirement is complete, the sooner your license can be reinstated.
DEEP courses are offered atEast Coast Solutions we offer high-quality care to address various behavioral health disorders and substance use disorders.
We are DEEP (driver education and evaluation program) certified located at 53 Church St. Ellsworth, ME 04605
Maine DEEP is not the same program for everyone. Maine DEEP has several programs depending on the needs of the participant:
Risk Reduction Program: This is the most common Maine DEEP course. This is the weekend-long 20-hour program that adult DUI offenders take to meet their DEEP requirement. The focus of the Risk Reduction Program is to reduce the risk of re-offending.
Under 21 Program: This program is a 16-hour course for DUI offenders under the age of 21. For this age group, drinking alcohol is illegal.
Treatment Completion Program: Depending on each person’s individual circumstances, such as if the person has prior DUI offenses or had a high blood alcohol content (over 0.15), the person might be recommended by Maine DEEP to engage in one-on-one counseling with a Maine DEEP certified substance abuse counselor. Depending on the extent and nature of the person’s substance abuse issues, it could take more time to complete the Maine DEEP component if you are referred to counseling. If you are referred to individual substance abuse counseling, you would be required to bear the cost of counseling on your own.
The DEEP Program often takes place over a weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If one-on-one substance abuse counseling is recommended, completing the Maine DEEP program can take longer.
The Maine DEEP course is a fee-based program for which you would be expected to pay out-of-pocket. Please call East Coast Solutions for current adult DEEP program registration fees 207-664-0491.
In your situation, you might not get your license back immediately after completing your Maine DEEP requirement. You may have additional license suspension time to serve before becoming eligible for an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) or reinstatement, in that case you would not be getting your license back right away. The BMV must receive proof of completion of your Maine DEEP course, and you must pay any outstanding license reinstatement fees, before your license can be fully reinstated. License reinstatement would not occur automatically upon receiving a Maine DEEP certificate, your license is will need to be reinstated by BMV.
For every charge of DUI in Maine and your license will under go suspension, you will need to become Maine DEEP complaint for each new incident. You may not use a Maine DEEP course from a previous DUI charge to satisfy the Maine DEEP component for any additional DUI charge in Maine. Each Maine DEEP program is meant to satisfy the needs of the current offense. While the weekend-long course may have satisfied the first offense, Maine DEEP requirement, all new DUI offenses may require a different program, such as the Treatment Completion Program.
If you don't complete the Maine DEEP program, you will not be eligible for an Ignition Interlock Device and the BMV won't reinstate your driver’s license. If you have not completed Maine DEEP program by the end of your suspension period, then your license will remain under suspension until all Maine DEEP requirements have been met. Operating with suspended license that has not been reinstated due to being Maine DEEP compliant is still driving with a suspended license, which can mean a charge for [OAS] Operating After Suspension after an [OUI] Operating Under the Influence. If the suspension was for OUI, then penalties for Operating After Suspension are greater, with a mandatory minimum of 7 days in jail and at least 1 additional year of license suspension. So, it is strongly recommended to become Maine DEEP complaint.
What if my license is from a different State?
The State of Maine requires all DUI offenders in Maine whose licenses have been suspended to register for Maine DEEP, regardless of where your driver’s license was issued, when driving in Maine from another State then all Maine laws will be enforced. Depending on your circumstances, if you can find a program similar to DEEP in your home state, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles may accept completion of another program to satisfy your Maine DEEP component. To confirm whether or not your home State’s program is acceptable, contact Maine DEEP directly at 207-626-8600.
