NH DHHS 10-Year Mental Health Plan Implementation Report Highlights Progress Made Since January 2019

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued a report on implementation of the New Hampshire 10-Year Mental Health Plan of 2019 (Plan). The report highlights progress the State has made on the Plan’s recommendations and has been submitted to Governor Chris Sununu and the New Hampshire Legislature by statute.

DHHS published the New Hampshire 10-Year Mental Health Plan in January 2019 to set the vision for the State’s mental health system based on a robust feedback process that included input from hundreds of interested parties statewide through focus groups, workgroups, public sessions, and written comments. The Plan prioritized 14 recommendations to advance the mental health system within the first two years and the new DHHS report shows the progress made on each of the recommendations since the report was published.

“The State’s 10-Year Mental Health’s recommendations are aggressive and necessary to restore New Hampshire’s mental health system as the model for other states,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “I am pleased with the State’s progress in the past 18 months, and look forward to continued progress. There is more work to be done and we will not stop until individuals are able to get the services they need, when and where they need them.”

“The 10-Year Mental Health Plan provides the pathway to a mental health system that makes services and programs available to patients when they need them,” said DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette. “Our residents deserve a system that is fair, that shows we care for people suffering from mental illness, and that offers excellent care in community settings. We are committed to realizing this goal, and while our work continues, this report highlights the important progress that is being made.”

Among the State’s accomplishments in the mental health system:

• An increase of 86 units of permanent housing for individuals with mental illness since 2017, with an additional 42 additional units with applicants preparing to move in.
• NH’s Housing Bridge Subsidy Program was budgeted for 398 vouchers since State fiscal year 2018. Starting in SFY 21, 500 vouchers are budgeted.
• Since 2017, 48 new transitional housing program beds.
• Designated receiving facility (DRF) bed capacity expanded by adding 24 beds.
• Established integrated primary and behavioral health care programs at community mental centers for youth and young adults in three of ten mental health regions, with nearly 250 individuals served in the first year and half of enrollment.
• Increased the number of children served by the Care Management Entity from 60 to 200 since 2018.
• Expanded Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams to increase accessibility for ACT level of care throughout the state, including full ACT coverage in rural and northern areas of the state.
• Funded three peer leadership seminars to promote the engagement of individuals with lived experience across all levels of the mental health system.