Leaders and Advocates Praise Governor Ayotte’s Efforts to Strengthen Community Mental Health in New Hampshire

CONCORD, NH - Leaders and mental health advocates across New Hampshire are praising Governor Ayotte's efforts to strengthen the Granite State's community mental system after the Governor and members of the Executive Council approved funding to make the system more accessible and sustainable.

Approved at yesterday's Governor and Council meeting, the contract between the Governor's Office of New Opportunities & Rural Transformational Health (GO-NORTH) and the New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association (NHCBHA) will support stronger access, improved service delivery, workforce growth, and long-term rural health system sustainability.

"From the very beginning of this process, the Governor envisioned a transformed community health system - strong, accessible, fiscally sustainable, and offering comprehensive high-quality services through the lifespan," said Maggie Prichard, CEO of Lakes Region Mental Health and President of the Community Behavioral Health Association. "NHCBHA are aware of our responsibility to steward the funds and produce results. The Governor demonstrated to us her leadership and tenacity and is a true partner in this endeavor."

The investment approved yesterday includes $12 million for the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, which serves New Hampshire's largest city and the surrounding communities.

"With a $12 million investment in Manchester's community mental health center, we can help more people in the Queen City access critical services for behavioral health and substance use disorder," said Mayor Jay Ruais of Manchester. "This funding will help lead to a healthier future for everyone in our community. I thank Governor Ayotte for her commitment to strengthening community mental health in Manchester and across New Hampshire."

"As a CEO of a community mental health center, I see firsthand the growing needs of the individuals and families we serve and the dedication of the staff who support them every day," said Patricia Carty, CEO of the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester. "The Rural Health Transformation funding is a critical investment in building a more accessible, coordinated, and sustainable mental health system in New Hampshire. I am grateful for Governor Ayotte's leadership and her unwavering commitment to strengthening comprehensive, integrated behavioral health care so we can better meet the needs of our communities now and into the future."

The partnership between GO-NORTH and the NHCBHA will transform New Hampshire's community mental health system through four coordinated projects:

• Adopting a common electronic health records system across all community mental health centers to better coordinate care.
• Expanding proven sustainable care models to provide integrated behavioral health, substance use disorder, and primary care to all patients and expanded availability of 24/7 crisis help.
• Coordinating operations for billing, technology, and staffing across the community mental health system to streamline operations.
• Investing in training, education, and behavioral health workforce development in partnership with our community colleges, universities, and other education partners.

"NAMI New Hampshire is heartened by the inclusion of significant investment in the state's community mental health system through the GO-NORTH initiative," said Susan Stearns, Executive Director of NAMI New Hampshire. "This funding will allow for statewide implementation of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model - critical to the success of the Mission Zero initiative to eliminate emergency department boarding and for enhancing New Hampshire's crisis care system. We are grateful for the leadership of the Governor, the GO-NORTH office, and NH DHHS in remaining steadfast to the vision of a mental health system where all Granite Staters can receive the care they need when and where they need it."