Thank you to all who testified and contacted their legislators this session on behalf of mental health and suicide prevention. Your voices were heard, and NAMI New Hampshire was heartened at the strong support shown by Governor Sununu and bipartisan legislative leaders in addressing many of the 10-Year Mental Health Plan priorities.
While a strong bipartisan consensus emerged on moving the mental health system forward, there was disagreement over the mechanics of how to fund the overall budget, resulting in a veto and the current budget impasse.
Please consider contacting your legislators and the Governor’s office to thank them for supporting funding of the 10-Year Mental Health Plan, while reminding them the current budget impasse is delaying much-needed help for people with mental illness, and their families. Urge lawmakers and the Governor to meet as soon as possible to pass the budget so critical additional services and supports for NH’s mental health system can be implemented.
Find Your Representative | Find Your Senator | Contact the Governor
#Act4MentalHealth
If you have questions, or would like additional information, please contact: advocacy@NAMINH.org.
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NAMI New Hampshire Identifies 2019 Legislative Priorities
In addition to advocating for mental health priorities at the national level, NAMI NH’s 2019 legislative priorities here in the Granite State include:
Funding for Recommendations in 10-Year Mental Health Plan (see more information below)
- Mobile Crisis Response/ED Boarding
- Medicaid Rates and Workforce Development
- Secure Psychiatric Issues
Suicide Prevention Measures, including:
- Extreme Risk protective orders (temporary removal of firearms for individuals who are dangerous – especially as a suicide prevention measure)
- Requiring schools to develop suicide prevention training plans
- Addressing PTSD/suicide prevention and related issues for First Responders
Study Commission to Expand Mental Health Courts Statewide
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Schools Statewide
Family Leave
View the legislation we are currently tracking – once on the page click on NH
Recent Testimony:
May 8, 2019
April 30, 2019
- HB 514 – Imposing a waiting period between the purchase and delivery of a firearm.
- SB 131 – Reestablishing a commission to study grandfamilies in New Hampshire.
April 23, 2019
- HB 652 – Relative to suicide prevention.
- SB 224 – Relative to insurance coverage for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders.
April 3, 2019
- SB 51 – Establishing a commission to study expanding mental health courts statewide.
- SB 282 -Relative to suicide prevention education in schools.
- SB 292 – Relative to implementation of the new mental health 10-year plan.
March 26, 2019
March 19, 2019
March 5, 2019
- HB 687 – Relative to extreme risk protection orders.
- SB 177 – Relative to the use of physical restraints on persons who are involuntarily committed.
February 13, 2019
February 12, 2019
- HB 726 – Relative to the secure psychiatric unit and making an appropriation therefor.
- SB 14 – Relative to child welfare.
January 30, 2019
- HB 610 –Relative to treatment alternatives to opioids.
- HB 652 – Relative to suicide prevention.
- HB 677 – Relative to discipline of students, addressing students’ behavioral needs, and making an appropriation therefor.
January 29, 2019
- SB 59 – Adding post traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder to the definition of “injury” for purposes of workers’ compensation and reestablishing the commission to study the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder in first responders.
- SB 224 – Relative to insurance coverage for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders.
January 24, 2019
January 22, 2019
- HB 113 – Relative to qualifications for and exceptions from licensure for mental health practice.
- SB 5 – Making an appropriation relative to Medicaid provider rates for mental health and substance misuse.
- SB 11 – Relative to mental health services and making appropriations therefor.
- SB 51 – Establishing a commission to study expanding mental health courts statewide.
January 16, 2019
January 9, 2019
April 10, 2018
- HB 587 – Relative to conversion therapy seeking to change a person’s sexual orientation.
- SB 508 – Establishing a committee to study the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other related disorders among first responders.
April 2, 2018
March 27, 2018
February 20, 2018
February 13, 2018
- HB 1319 – Prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity.
- SB 480 – Limiting the use of electroconvulsive therapy.
January 24, 2018
January 23, 2018
- HB 1560 – Prohibiting Medicaid from paying for sex reassignment drug or hormone therapy or surgery
- SB 553 – Relative to mental health parity for workers’ compensation
January 17, 2018
January 16, 2018
- HB 1565 – Relative to requiring the secure psychiatric unit to be accredited as a psychiatric hospital
- HB 1751 – Relative to insurance coverage for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders
- HB 1811 – Relative to the New Hampshire health protection program
- SB 502 -Relative to transparency and standards for acquisition transactions in health care
View the 2018 State of the State address. You can click here to skip to the section addressing mental health.
NAMI NH Position on Secure Psychiatric Unit
NAMI New Hampshire has a long history of opposing the transfer of patients from New Hampshire Hospital to the care of the Department of Corrections (Secure Psychiatric Unit). Specifically, we are opposed to the commingling of individuals with mental illness who are committed under Involuntary Emergency Admission (IEA) with those who are criminally committed. We have provided written and oral testimony at numerous legislative hearings to this effect. NAMI NH continues to advocate for more resources to improve access to appropriate levels of care across the entire mental health system.
To learn more about our policy position on this issue, please see:
2016 Letter Co-authored by NAMI NH, American Civil Liberties Union of NH, Disability Rights Center, and NH Legal Assistance.
Excerpt: "We write to express our opposition to the continued transfer of civilly committed patients from New Hampshire Hospital to the Secure Psychiatric Unit in the New Hampshire State Prison..."
The 10 Year Mental Health Plan
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has released a final version of the new 10-Year Mental Health Plan. Read the plan on the DHHS website.
NAMI NH has provided the following feedback to DHHS on the plan:
General Talking points when contacting Legislators; House or Senate
Use your own words, but share your passion, it is critical that the Representatives hear about Mental Health
- Mental Health is important to me, my family and our state and I am asking you to represent me and support increased funding
- Myself/my family has been affected by mental illness, I support funding for improved services
Specific Talking points
- Support the re-authorization of the NH Health Protection Program; also known as Medicaid Expansion; particularly the opportunity it offers for Substance misuse treatment and mental health treatment. Over 38,000 NH citizens are now insured and receive mental health services.
- The NH Health Protection Program:
- Provides insurance to NH’s working poor who cannot afford it.
- Covers mental health and substance misuse disorders.
- Saves money by lowering uncompensated hospital care.
- Be prepared to wait to testify and leave your printed testimony if time runs out.
- Fund the implementation of the “10 Year Plan”.
- Fund the Mental Health Settlement Agreement.
Tips for Providing Testimony:
- Arrive early to sign in to speak there will be a waiting list.
- Your comments must be brief; 1-2 minutes maximum
- If you prepare a testimony, bring printed copies to share with House members
Heading to the Hearing?
Let us know- Email advocacy@naminh.org
Addressing the Critical Mental Health Needs of NH Citizens – A ten year plan
Other Current Issues
