House lawmakers mull whether federal aid could be used for new psychiatric facility
Efforts to build new facility have stalled
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Updated: 7:10 PM EDT Apr 12, 2021
Efforts to build new facility have stalled
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Updated: 7:10 PM EDT Apr 12, 2021
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LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON A LONG-STANDING PROBLEM. FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ITS SECURE PSYCHIATRIC UNIT OUT OF THE STATE PRISON WHERE MANY BELIEVE IT DOES NOT BELONG BUT EFFORTS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW FACILITY HAVE STALLED AND HOUSE LAWMAKERS REMOVED FROM THE STATE BUDGET 17.5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A 60-BED FACILITY PROPOSED BY GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU WE DELETED IT WITHOUT ANY PREJUDICE. WE DIDN’T WE DIDN’T THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA. WE DIDN’T THINK IT WAS A BAD IDEA. WE JUST THOUGHT IT WAS AN IDEA THAT WE DIDN’T KNOW. ABOUT WELL, THE BUDGET IS NOW IN SENATE HANDS. SOME STATE REPS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A MIDDLE WAY THAT WILL GET PSYCH PATIENTS OUT OF THE PRISON WHILE ALSO FREEING UP MUCH-NEEDED BEDS AT NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL PLAN A FOR THE STATE HOSPITAL IS TO BUILD A FACILITY ON ITS EXISTING CAMPUS IN CONCORD. THERE ARE HOPES FEDERAL RELIEF DOLLARS COULD HELP COVER COSTS. IT’S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TREASURY GUIDELINES ARE FOR USE OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT’S COMING OUR WAY ANOTHER IDEA. FLOATED IS REPURPOSING THE YOUTH DETENTION CENTER IN MANCHESTER IF IT’S CLOSED DOWN, IT’S ALREADY THERE. IT’S IT’S GOT A BIG BUFFER ZONE AROUND IT. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT THE SUNUNA CENTER SHOULD BE CLOSELY LOOKED AT BUT THIS PURPOSE RATHER THAN SPENDING. TENS OF MILLIONS MORE MONEY OFFICIALS SAY A NEW FACILITY WOULD IMMEDIATELY FREE UP 24 BEDS AT THE STATE HOSPITAL BUT ADVOCATES BELIEVE THERE’S ANOTHER WAY FINDING OR CONSTRUCTING MORE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR STEP-DOWN FACILITIES FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE READY TO LEAVE NEW HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL. THAT’S A MISTAKE TO BUILD CAPACITY. IF YOU’RE USING YOUR CURRENT CAPACITY INAPPROPRIATELY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS CREATE CAPACITY FOR THAT DISC