Senate Finance Unanimously Adopts Children’s Mental Health Funding

Contact Name: Marina Altschiller

Phone: (603) 271-3207

Email: marina.altschiller@leg.state.nh.us

CONCORD – Today, the Senate Finance Committee unanimously adopted critical funding for

children’s mental health services in New Hampshire, legislation which was previously

introduced by Senator Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) in SB 157 of this year.

After the vote, Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) and Senator Becky Whitley (D-

Hopkinton) issued the following statement:

“The amendment adopted by Senate Finance today is critical to ensuring the mental health of

children in New Hampshire, and is necessary to protect the children's system of care reforms

previously approved by this legislature. The children’s mental health crisis has been building for

years and has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. Even one child in crisis waiting for

services is too many, and the Committee's action today will go a long way toward resolving this

crisis. This amendment extends funding to the Department of Health & Human Services for

implementing the children's system of care reforms and getting the mobile crisis response

program stood up. It also requires reporting by the Department to the legislature to allow us to

track the progress of implementation. Finally, it establishes additional positions in the

Department’s contracts and procurement unit. This unit is working hard to implement these

reforms, and it’s important they have the resources they need to meet these goals. We appreciate

our colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their support of this amendment.”

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