Governor Hassan and Executive Council Approve Contracts to Expand Substance Misuse Services for Pregnant and Parenting Women, to Support Safe Stations Initiative, to Provide Family Support Services

Press Release

As part of her efforts to combat the heroin and opioid crisis, Governor Maggie Hassan and the Executive Council today approved several contracts to continue implementing the State's comprehensive strategy to support law enforcement and to strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery.

"The heroin and opioid crisis is the most pressing public health and public safety challenge facing New Hampshire, devastating families, communities and businesses across our state," Governor Hassan said. "We continue working across party lines and with stakeholders at all levels to implement our comprehensive strategy to support law enforcement and strengthen prevention, treatment and recovery, and the contracts approved by the Executive Council in unanimous, bipartisan votes today provide critical resources to those battling addiction on the front lines."

A contract approved today with Families in Transition for nearly $500,000 comprised entirely of federal funds is the third of three state contracts to provide treatment, wraparound and residential services, and supportive housing to low-income pregnant or parenting women experiencing substance use disorders. The Governor and Council previously approved contracts with Hope on Haven Hill and the Greater Nashua Council on Alcoholism to provide substance misuse treatment and residential services to pregnant and parenting women while allowing children to remain in their mother's care.

The Governor and Council also approved a contract today for Helping Hands Outreach Ministries to provide continued overnight respite care services for the Safe Stations initiative in Manchester. Through Safe Stations, the ten fire houses in Manchester serve as access points for individuals seeking assistance with substance misuse. This contract will provide, among other things, staff for 16 beds to serve Safe Stations clients between 3:00 pm and 9:00 am. Licensed professionals currently provide services for Safe Stations between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm through Serenity Place.

Funded 100 percent by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services System of Care Implementation Grant, another contract approved by the Executive Council extends an existing contract with New Futures to provide family support services to help increase access to integrated evidence-based assessment and treatment for young people with substance use disorder or a co-occurring behavioral health disorder. The contract also provides for a part-time Family Support Coordinator who will work to expand existing family and community support groups for families of those battling addiction.

In addition, the Governor and Council approved an item for a New Hampshire Department of Corrections Canine Unit to combat illegal drug use by inmates at correctional facilities, establishing a canine team at the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility in Berlin and another at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord.

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