Governor Hassan and Executive Council Approve Contracts to Provide Substance Misuse Services to Pregnant and Parenting Mothers, At-Risk Youth

Press Release

Continuing her efforts to provide resources to service providers on the front lines of the heroin and opioid crisis, Governor Maggie Hassan and the Executive Council today approved a contract with Hope on Haven Hill to provide treatment and residential services to pregnant and parenting women, as well as a contract to provide education and prevention services to at-risk youth.

"The heroin and opioid crisis is the most urgent public health and public safety challenge facing New Hampshire, and it is critical that we get resources out as quickly as possible to service providers in local communities battling this horrible epidemic on the front lines," Governor Hassan said.

Located in Rochester, Hope on Haven Hill will provide treatment, wraparound and residential services and supportive housing to low-income pregnant or parenting women experiencing substance use disorders. Comprised by 100 percent federal funds, the contract approved in a bipartisan vote by the Executive Council provides more than $480,000 for Hope on Haven Hill to provide these critical substance misuse services to pregnant and parenting women while allowing children to remain in their mother's care.

"As we continue our efforts to combat the heroin and opioid crisis, there is a strong need to increase service capacity for pregnant or parenting mothers, especially residential services and supportive housing," Governor Hassan said. "With support from this contract, Hope on Haven Hill will assist pregnant and parenting women who are battling addiction while allowing children to remain in their mother's care."

The Executive Council also approved in a bipartisan vote today a contract for nearly $725,000 in federal funds for four vendors across the state to provide education and prevention services to at-risk youth through local school districts. These programs will be targeted at underage drinking among youth aged 12 to 20 and prescription drug and opioid misuse from ages 12 to 25, in communities with alcohol and drug misuse prevalence rates higher than the state average. Schools and districts served include Lin-Wood Middle and High School, Thornton Center School, Berlin High School, North Country Charter Academy, Rochester Middle School, Hillsboro-Derry and Rundlett High Schools, Second Start Alternative School and towns within those school districts.

"Education and prevention efforts are critical to our comprehensive strategy to combat the heroin and opioid crisis and help save lives, and these important resources will help us stem and reverse the tide of this crisis by preventing addiction in the first place," Governor Hassan said.

In the coming months, the Department of Health and Human Services will bring forward additional contracts to expand programs for pregnant and parenting mothers and at-risk youth to other communities across the state.

"I commend the Executive Council for their bipartisan support of these critical substance misuse services, and we will continue working together to get resources to providers so that we can expand access to programs for pregnant and parenting mothers and at-risk youth in communities across the state," Governor Hassan said.

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