take action
A leading and respected voice on mental illness, NAMI NH advocates for improved access to services and social supports; early intervention; and science-based practices that promote recovery and build skills and resilience.
We train people to advocate, effectively communicating and working collaboratively with others to promote sustainable change in our mental health system and government policies while dispelling the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and suicide.
We engage with local, state, and national leaders and service providers, bringing both concerns and solutions to them, and helping them to understand the need for community-based systems of care that includes individuals and families in treatment, planning, delivery, and evaluation of services.
We fight stigma and discrimination by educating our leaders, the media and the public. By dispelling myths, stereotypes and prejudice, we also build awareness that mental illness is an illness like any other.
Reasons NAMI NH is needed now more than ever:
- Treatment works and recovery is possible – and NAMI NH can herald that message as no other group can.
- People with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), die on average, 25 years earlier than persons without SMI.
- Knowledge is power and NAMI NH helps educate and train thousands of families, consumers, and community leaders each year.
- Research has shown what NAMI NH has always known, support of families, by families experienced in dealing with mental illness is critical to the path of recovery for consumers.
- State budget deficits can wipe away the community based mental health services that make a difference to persons with mental illness. NAMI NH advocates for high quality health and mental health care for all NH citizens.
- Too many people with mental illness are still forced to live on the streets or in totally inadequate housing. NAMI NH fights for adequate housing.
- People with mental illness are still treated like criminals, too often only finding their way into “the system” through jails and prisons. NAMI NH supports jail diversion programs and provides law enforcement education training.
- People who live with mental illness are still excluded from meaningful employment, never given the opportunity to demonstrate the contribution they can make. NAMI NH supports evidence based practices like supported employment.
- Stigma keeps thousands of people from seeking treatment or even acknowledging their illness. NAMI NH fights stigma through it’s education programs such as In Our Own Voice and Life Interrupted.
- Early intervention and prevention services save lives, improve family life and strengthen communities. NAMI NH advocates for these services.
If you agree that there is much more left to be done, then won’t you please stand with us? We simply cannot do it without you!
The most effective way to educate legislators is through their own local constituents. The NAMI NH Public Policy Advocacy training, “It’s Your Move,” provides participants with the skills and confidence to engage their local representatives one-on-one or within a group such as a legislative forum in their community. Participants learn about the New Hampshire political structure, the most effective methods of communication and messaging and how to counter negative thinking on the part of decision makers.
The next It’s Your Move training will be held in late 2023. Sign up to be notified when the next training is scheduled.
This free 6 hour training is open to anyone who wishes to become a public policy advocate. Through lecture, role playing and group discussion, participants are able to gain confidence in their abilities to articulate the issues to their legislative representatives. A training outline and supporting materials are provided.
Participants will learn:
- How you can become an effective advocate
- All you need to know about the NH legislative process
- How to use your personal experiences as a foundation for needed change
- What, when and how to share your message so it gets heard
- Changes in health care delivery – what you need to know
- How one person can make a difference to teach people affected by mental illness
To learn more please contact us at advocacy@naminh.org or 603-225-5359.
April 19, 2023
- SB 235 –Relative to services provided through a primary care behavioral health model.
- SB 238 –Relative to the use of telemedicine to treat mental health conditions.
April 18, 2023
- SB 272 –Establishing a parents’ bill of rights in education.
- HB 315 –Prohibiting provocation based on the defendant’s religion, race, creed, sexual orientation, national origin, political beliefs or affiliation, sex, or gender identity.
- HB 58–Relative to arrests without a warrant while in the care of a medical professional on the premises of a residential care or health care facility.
April 12, 2023
April 4, 2023
- SB 263 –Extending the New Hampshire granite advantage health care program and reestablishing the commission to evaluate the effectiveness and future of the New Hampshire granite advantage health care program.
- HB 49–Relative to postponing the closure of the Sununu Youth Services Center.
March 29, 2023
March 28, 2023
March 21, 2023
March 15, 2023
- Amendment 2023-0767h to HB 49 –Relative to postponing the closure of the Sununu Youth Services Center
March 13, 2023
- HB 1&2 –NH State Budget and Budget Trailer Bill
- SB 116–Relative to discharge from the secure psychiatric unit of the state prison.
March 7, 2023
- HB 619 –Prohibiting gender transition procedures for minors, relative to sex and gender in public schools, and relative to the definition of conversion therapy.
- HB 368 –Relative to protections related to receiving gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care.
- HB 10 –Establishing the parental bill of rights.
- HB 417 –Relative to the definition of child abuse.
- SB 272 –Establishing a parents’ bill of rights in education.
February 24, 2023
February 22, 2023
February 21, 2023
February 16, 2023
- HB 114 –Relative to the age at which a minor may receive mental health treatment without parental consent.
- HB 406 – Relative to parental access to children’s medical records.
- SB 265–Making an appropriation for the multi-tiered system of support for children’s mental health.
February 15, 2023
- SB 235 –Relative to services provided through a primary care behavioral health model.
- SB 238 – Relative to the use of telemedicine to treat mental health conditions.
February 9, 2023
February 8, 2023
- HB 106 –Relative to extreme risk protection orders.
- SB 175 –Relative to Medicaid coverage for mothers.
February 7, 2023
- HB 505 –Relative to comprehensive mental health education in schools.
- HB 104 –Relative to multi-stall bathrooms and locker rooms in schools.
- HB 352 –Relative to excused absences due to a student’s mental or behavioral health.
- HB 491 –Relative to prohibiting the use of the prone restraint for minors.
- SB 179 –Relative to eliminating the use of seclusion as a form of punishment or discipline on children in schools and treatment facilities.
- SB 184 –Relative to the age at which a minor may receive mental health treatment without parental consent.
February 1, 2023
- SB 86 – Relative to health care workforce development and making appropriations therefor.
- HB 565 – Relative to expanding Medicaid to include certain postpartum health care services.
- SB 315 – Prohibiting provocations based on a victims actual or perceived gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation from being used as a defense in a criminal case.
- HB 264 –Relative to amendments and corrections to birth records.
January 31, 2023
January 26, 2023
January 25, 2023
January 19, 2023
January 12, 2023
April 14, 2022
- HB1526 – Relative to income eligibility for in and out medical assistance.
- HB1622 – Relative to mental health parity.
April 12, 2022
- SB407 – Relative to expanding Medicaid to include certain postpartum health care services and making an appropriation therefor.
- SB444 – Relative to childhood adverse experiences treatment and prevention.
April 7, 2022
April 6, 2022
- HB1345 – Relative to the release of a teenager’s medical records to a parent or guardian.
- SB234 – Requiring student identification cards to include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- SB392 – Establishing a commission to study insanity and restoration of competency.
April 5, 2022
- SB227 – Relative to death benefits for first responders who die from suicide.
- SB422 – Establishing an adult dental benefit under the state Medicaid program.
March 30, 2022
March 16, 2022
February 22, 2022
February 15, 2022
- HB1077 – Repealing the prohibition on conversion therapy for minors.
- HB1651 – Adding sexual reassignment to the definition of child abuse.
February 3, 2022
- HB1198 – Relative to rules of the department of education concerning culture and climate in schools.
February 2, 2022
- HB1028 – Relative to the form of individual health insurance policies.
- SB373 – Relative to coverage for certain mental illnesses.
- SB391 – Relative to the operation of a state forensic psychiatric hospital.
- SB422 – Establishing an adult dental benefit under the state Medicaid program.
February 1, 2022
January 25, 2022
January 20, 2022
- SB407 – Relative to expanding Medicaid to include certain postpartum health care services and making an appropriation therefor.
- SB444 – Relative to childhood adverse experiences treatment and prevention.
January 19, 2022
- HB1622 – Relative to mental health parity.
- HB1639 – Relative to the youth risk behavior survey in schools.
January 11, 2022
October 27, 2021
October 14, 2021
September 22, 2021
June 7, 2021
May 5, 2021
April 14, 2021
- HB 220 – Establishing medical freedom in immunizations.
- HB 540 – Relative to supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship.
March 29, 2021
March 16, 2021
February 25, 2021
February 23, 2021
- HB 578 – Relative to standards for mental health courts.
- NAMI NH Testimony on Concord Hospital – LRGH Merger
February 17, 2021
February 16, 2021
February 8, 2021
January 29, 2021
- HB 103 – Establishing a dental benefit under the state Medicaid program.
- HB 602 – Relative to reimbursements for telemedicine.
January 28, 2021
- HB 254 – Relative to the placement of minors in secure settings.
- HB 427 – Prohibiting corporal punishment of children in state agency programs.
- SB 59 – Relative to the collaborative care model service delivery method.
January 27, 2021
October 26, 2020
June 24, 2020
February 11, 2020
February 5, 2020
January 29, 2020
- HB 1163 – Requiring schools to update documents and software to include the option of identifying a student as non-binary.
- SB 412 – Establishing a commission to study issues relating to corrections officers.
- SB 634 – Relative to establishing a peer support program in the department of health and human services.
January 28, 2020
January 23, 2020
- HB 1174 – Requiring screening for all law enforcement officers for psychological stability and substance use disorders prior to assuming their duties as certified officers.
- HB 1521 – Adding a peer support specialist to the board of mental health practice.
January 22, 2020
January 21, 2020
- HB 1122 – Relative to death benefits of first responders who die from suicide.
- HB 1346 – Requiring the insurance department to make a report regarding the impact of insurance coverage for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders.
January 16, 2020
January 13, 2020
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
- HB 131 – Establishing a commission on mental health education programs.
- HB 240 – Establishing a commission to study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders.
- HCR 4 – Encouraging media outlets not to broadcast the name or image of a suspected perpetrator of a mass shooting.
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
The 2022 session proved challenging, however NAMI NH had a vast majority of successes among its legislative priorities:
Improving Access to Mental Health/Physical Health Care
Our advocacy resulted in the passage of Medicaid dental benefits, new oversight of the state forensic hospital, and raising the income limits for the Medicaid In and Out Program. We saw the passage of a bill adopting interstate licensing standards and greater oversight ensuring that insurance companies comply with federal parity requirements. Our advocacy also defeated a bill that would have allowed short term (skinny) health plans that do not require mental health and substance use disorder services to be covered to be extended and renewed.
Unfortunately, a bill that would have extended postpartum coverage from 60 days to 1 year was not successful this session.
First Responders
This session there were a few bills concerning first responders. We successfully advocated for a death benefit for all first responders who die by suicide. Further, our advocacy assisted in passing a bill that will create a committee to study establishing a review board to look at all officer involved shootings to better address these incidents with the hope of having more positive outcomes. NAMI NH will monitor the committee’s activities and will provide testimony in front of the committee as outlined in the bill. Additionally, advocacy secured funds for Crisis Intervention Training for officers in small, rural departments with the goal of having a minimum of one officer in every state, county, and municipal department trained in CIT.
Children
Advocacy for children was a primary focus for NAMI NH this legislative session. With the assistance of partners and advocates, we secured funds to establish a pilot program to mitigate the effects of adverse childhood experiences for children birth to six years old (there is an existing program for children over 6). We were successful in advocating for middle and high school student identification cards to include the national suicide hotline on the back of the card.
In addition to items we were advocating for, there were a number of bills that NAMI NH opposed due to their potential harm for NH’s children. Of these, we were successful in maintaining the existing process of administering the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and we were successful in defeating a bill that would have limited rules on climate and culture in schools; one that would have repealed the ban on conversion therapy; one that would have added allowing a child to have gender affirming medical care to the definition of child abuse; and one that would have allowed schools to prohibit trans adolescent girls from competing in sports with their peers. The efforts of mental health advocates also helped us defeat a bill that would have forced teachers and other school personnel to disclose to a parent any information about a child who identifies as transgender and to disclose if kids joined clubs like the Gay/ Straight Alliance.
Unfortunately, despite a couple of bills coming forward that would have repealed the restrictions limiting school teaching discussions regarding racism, homophobia, sexism, and other such issues that impact children’s mental health, we were not able to make changes in the law this year.
This session there were no bills focused on workforce or housing that NAMI NH was involved in. For the next session we may explore areas in the budget that can support these two issues.
In addition to advocating for mental health priorities at the national level, NAMI NH’s 2022 legislative priorities here in the Granite State include:
Improve Access to Mental Health/Physical Health Care
- Support dental benefits under Medicaid
- Increase oversight and enforcement by NH Insurance Department regarding parity
- Adopt interstate licensing standards (compact) for mental health professionals
- Support legislation which moves forward plans for a new forensic hospital
- Expand availability of physical health/mental health services for pregnant and postpartum women
- Oppose offering health insurance plans that don’t require Essential Health Benefits (mental health and substance misuse treatment)
- Limit negative impacts of Medicaid in and out requirements
First Responders
- Death benefits for families of first responders who die by suicide
- Establish a study committee to make recommendations on creation of an officer-involved shooting fatality review committee
- Expand Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training
Children
- Direct the Department of Health and Human Services establish a pilot program to support children who have experienced trauma and adverse events
- Require schools to put the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number on school identification cards
- Maintain the existing process for administering Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
- Oppose limiting rules and policies concerning culture and climate in schools
- Repeal restrictions limiting school teaching/discussions regarding racism, homophobia, sexism and other issues which negatively impact children’s mental health
- Oppose adding sexual reassignment to definition of child abuse
- Oppose repeal of conversion therapy ban
- Oppose state recognition of biological sex for the purposes of discrimination in athletic competitions, criminal incarceration, or places of intimate privacy
Workforce Shortages
- Support measures to expand student loan repayment and other strategies to address workforce shortages
Affordable Housing
- Support efforts to increase availability of affordable housing in NH
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:
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 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:
Addressing the Critical Mental Health Needs of NH Citizens – A ten year plan
You Can Influence Public Policy
So much was accomplished by NAMI NH’s founders, back in the 1980s, by creating personal contacts with their state and federal legislators. This work continues today, and it is a powerful action that you can take yourself. We’d like to help you with this process. Read on for information about who your state and federal legislators are and how, why, when and where to contact them.
We have two sets of government legislators:
- one set of legislators for New Hampshire state government (find yours here).
- one set of legislators for the federal government of the United States (find yours here).
The term ‘legislator’ refers to someone who makes laws. The term ‘legislature’ refers to a group of people who make laws—the lawmaking body.
The New Hampshire state legislature is actually called the General Court (only Massachusetts joins us in using this colonial term, which came from when the legislature included some work of the courts; other states use the term Legislature or Legislative Assembly). The New Hampshire General Court’s website can be found here. Although formally called the General Court, we will use the term legislature throughout, as that is what it is most commonly called.
New Hampshire’s legislature has two parts, called houses, bodies or chambers. This type of two-house legislature is called ‘bicameral’, with one house called the Upper House and one house called the Lower House.
The Upper House of all state governments (and the federal government) is always called the Senate. Its legislators are called Senators (US Senators if they were elected to the federal Senate, and State Senators if they were elected to their State Senate).
The Lower House of New Hampshire’s state government (and the federal government) is called the House of Representatives, or the House, for short. Legislators in the House of Representatives are called Representatives (US Representatives if they were elected to the federal House of Representatives, or State Representatives if they were elected to their State House of Representatives).
You are represented in our state government by one State Senator and from one to eleven State Representatives, depending upon where you live.
Remember, your legislators represent you.
State legislators meet in New Hampshire’s capitol city of Concord at the gold-domed capitol building called the State House, and also directly across the street at the “LOB” or Legislative Office Building.
States have different amounts of state legislators. New Hampshire is famous for having, by far, the largest group of state legislators, at 424 (24 State Senators and 400 State Representatives).
We have a legislature that is essentially volunteer. Our legislators earn a salary of $100 per year (so $200 for their two-year term). Our legislature is also part-time. Each state is different, and some states do have full-time state legislators who are paid much higher annual salaries (ranging all the way up to $95,219 in California).
In general, the New Hampshire legislature is in session from January through June, although the Governor can request that they meet at other times to address special or time-sensitive issues, such as when they met in November 2015 to address the opioid crisis. When the legislature meets outside of its normal session, at the request of the Governor, it is called a special session.
The state is divided into 24 State Senate districts that are approximately equal in population size. Each district has one State Senator to represent its residents. Taking New Hampshire’s population size into account, each State Senator represents 55,144 people.
For more information about the New Hampshire Senate, you can visit their web page here.
To find your State Senator, select your town from the drop-down menu here.
The state is divided into 103 State House districts that are approximately equal in population size. Four districts have one State Representative to represent its residents, while the other 99 districts have multiple State Representatives (ranging from two to eleven State Representatives, in what are known as multi-member districts). Therefore, depending on which district you live in, you will have from one to eleven State Representatives.
Taking New Hampshire’s population size into account, each State Representative represents 3,309 people. (Out of all 50 states, this is the smallest amount of people represented per State Representative. At the other end of the spectrum is California, where each State Representative represents 479,157 people. What an amazing opportunity we have in New Hampshire to really get to know our State Representatives! [2013 data]).
For more information about the New Hampshire House of Representatives, visit their website here.
To find your State Representative(s), select your town or district in the drop-down menu here. Note that several districts are also divided into wards.
The United States Congress
The legislature of the United States is called Congress. Its website can be found here
New Hampshire’s US legislators
New Hampshire’s US legislators (also called federal legislators) meet in the United States’ capitol city of Washington, DC, in the United States Capitol (also called the Capitol Building or Capitol Hill).
Each state has two US Senators. They serve 6-year terms that are staggered, so that we do not elect two Senators at the same time. Whichever Senator has been there longer is called the Senior Senator, and the newer Senator is called the Junior Senator. US Senators do not represent parts, or districts, within a state—they represent the whole state. Therefore, both Senators are your Senators. With 50 states each having two US Senators, the United States therefore has 100 US Senators.
Our two New Hampshire US Senators are Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D). Click the links to be connected to their web pages.
States have from one to 53 US Representatives—the number is determined by population size (with all states guaranteed at least one US Representative). In total, there are 435 US Representatives. They serve two-year terms, and their elections are held in even years. US Representatives are also called Congresswomen or Congressmen.
Based on its population size, New Hampshire has two US Representatives, and the state is divided into two Congressional districts. Representative Chris Pappas (D) represents District 1 and Representative Ann Kuster (D) represents District 2. Click the links to be connected to their web pages. To learn whether you live in District 1 or District 2, you can enter your zip code here.
How can I contact my legislators?
Because it is their job to listen to you and represent you, legislators work very hard to make themselves reachable. You can:
- Call
- Write a letter
- Schedule a meeting
- Attend a meet-and-greet opportunity
- Post to their Facebook page
- Send them a Tweet
Contacting a legislator is going to be a different experience depending on whether you are contacting a US legislator or a state legislator.
US legislators work out of Washington, DC, when Congress is in session, or at one of several offices around the state when out of session. They are professional politicians and have a variety of resources, including multiple staff members and funding.
State legislators travel to the State House in Concord when the legislature is in session, but they are ‘regular’ citizens who are essentially volunteering their time to serve a public role. Except for a handful of legislators who have leadership positions, New Hampshire’s legislators do not have offices (they do get a locker at the State House!) or staff members. Some states do have ‘professional’ legislators, but New Hampshire does not—our legislature is considered a ‘citizen’s legislature.’
In New Hampshire, our state legislators typically provide their home address and their own cell phone or home number and email address so that their constituents can reach them.
You can find contact information for your NH State Representative here (select your town or district from the drop-down menu, and then click your State Representative’s name to see her or his contact information.)
You can find contact information for your NH State Senator here (select your town or district from the drop-down menu, and then click your State Senator’s name to see her or his contact information.)
Action steps you can take
- Sign up for NAMI NH ENews and NAMI NH Public Policy Alerts. The ENews email newsletter is sent twice per month. The Public Policy Alerts are emailed when immediate action is needed, like phone calls or attending hearings.
- “Like” NAMI NH on Facebook and catch the issues in real time. We’re also on Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube.
- Check out NAMI NH’s Advocacy webpages for more in depth information, including links to testimony we have given at the State House, bills that we are following, and tips for contacting your state and federal legislators.
- Attend our free winter “It’s Your Move” advocacy training to learn how New Hampshire government functions and how your story can be a vehicle for change.
- Call us! Just let us know you’re interested in sharing your story, and we’ll work with you from there. Call (603) 225-5359 or email advocacy@naminh.org.