Governor Hassan Participates in Farnum North Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

Press Release

Governor Maggie Hassan today attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the expansion of Webster Place at Farnum North in Franklin, where the addition of 42 new licensed beds brings the total number of licensed beds at Farnum North to help serve those battling addiction to 63.

"Increasing access to treatment and recovery services is a critical part of our comprehensive strategy to combat the heroin and opioid crisis," Governor Hassan said. "The addition of more licensed beds for those battling addiction at Farnum North builds on our efforts to expand capacity, and I commend Farnum North and Easter Seals for their commitment to the health and well-being of their fellow Granite Staters in need. This fight is far from over, and we must continue working together at all levels to stem -- and reverse -- the tide of this horrible epidemic and help save lives."

Increasing access to treatment and recovery services is critical to the Governor's comprehensive approach to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic in New Hampshire, which includes supporting law enforcement and strengthening prevention, treatment and recovery services. This year, the Governor has signed bipartisan legislation cracking down on fentanyl, limiting prior authorization requirements for treatment, making improvements to New Hampshire's prescription drug monitoring program, requiring all prescribing boards to update prescribing rules for opioids, establishing a statewide drug court program, providing funding to upgrade technology for the prescription drug monitoring program and providing $5 million in additional resources for prevention, treatment and recovery as well as supportive housing.

In addition, the Governor fought to reauthorize the bipartisan New Hampshire Health Protection Program, which has provided substance misuse and behavioral health services to thousands of Granite Staters, and she has worked to revise licensing requirements to make it easier for providers to open treatment facilities, to increase the safe and effective use of Narcan, to increase medication-assisted treatment in New Hampshire and to launch a statewide substance misuse hotline to help connect individuals with resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She has also signed bipartisan bills allowing drug take-back programs at pharmacies, simplifying the licensing process for alcohol and drug abuse counselors who move to New Hampshire and requiring public schools to include drug and alcohol education as part of their health education curriculum.

As Vice Chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Health and Human Services Committee, Governor Hassan helped lead efforts with the committee chair, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, to develop the NGA Compact to Fight Opioid Addiction, which 46 Democratic and Republican Governors signed recently. With her fellow governors, Governor Hassan has been urging federal action to support states in combating this crisis, including calling for emergency federal funding.

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