MANCHESTER, NH – Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and Governor Chris Sununu on Wednesday announced the approval of multiple contracts to administer care for those suffering from substance use disorder in Manchester.
The contracts, which were approved by Governor and Council on Jan. 24, represent the culmination of joint efforts between the Governor’s office, the Mayor’s office, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Various programs, which were formerly administered by Serenity Place, will all receive contracts with new providers to continue continuity of care and services. These providers include, but are not limited to:
- Families in Transition (FIT) – Lin’s Place Transitional Living Program for women; Tirrell House Transitional Living program for men
- Farnum Center – Crisis Respite Shelter; intensive outpatient programs; outpatient services
- Family Willows – intensive outpatient programs; outpatient services
- Granite Pathways – Wrap Around and Recovery Support Services
- Elliot Hospital – Hillsborough County North Drug Court
“Substance Use Disorder programs are a critical component in our fight against addiction and the opioid crisis. I look forward to working closely with Mayor Joyce Craig as we move forward to ensure that programs that receive state resources have long term stability. I am thankful for the countless providers that have answered the call to assist in these critical efforts. Those struggling with addiction deserve nothing less than our best and we will not fail them,” Sununu said.
“We have all worked to find solutions following the issues associated with Serenity Place. As a group, we have been able to identify gaps and opportunities that have allowed us to build a community-centric plan going forward,” Craig said.
Craig has named three individuals to co-chair a newly created council to develop long-term strategies for those affected by substance use disorder. Tim Soucy, Manchester Public Health Director, Steve Norton, Elliot Health System Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Government Relations, and Alex Walker, Catholic Medical Center Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will lead a team of community partners to develop sustainable, evidence-based solutions to aid Manchester’s work in combating the opioid crisis.
“Individuals and families are in deep crisis as a result of substance misuse and we see it every day in Elliot’s emergency department and in our inpatient mental health units,” Norton said. “Taking a collaborative and community-wide approach is sorely needed and one we are extremely proud to join so that effective and long-term strategies can be implemented and sustained by and between the community leaders with the expertise to improve the health of people in need.”
Tym Rourke, Director of New Hampshire Tomorrow at New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and former chair of the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention, Treatment and Recovery, applauded the public/private cooperation in addressing the ongoing opioid epidemic.
“Public/private partnership is necessary to combat our state’s substance use epidemic,” Rourke said. “City and state officials, private philanthropy and community organizations have come together swiftly to ensure that services and care continue and improve for those brave men and women seeking recovery. The Foundation is glad to be a partner, and looks forward to supporting efforts in Manchester going forward.”
Information compiled from a press release issued by the Office of Mayor Joyce Craig
