Creating a Healthy Response to New Hampshire's Substance Abuse Crisis

In 2016, The Sustainable SNHPC Foundation was awarded a Partnership Grant from the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation to work with SNHPC's communities, public agencies, and private businesses to identify needs and issues surrounding transitional recovery housing programs. 

SNHPC's goal throughout this project is to work with public health service providers, land use regulators, and communities in assessing existing land use regulations and permitting processes and providing guidance to SNHPC communities with the siting of recovery housing. 

The opioid health crisis in New Hampshire is a major concern for SNHPC and its communities. Existing regional public health networks, Continuums of Care, Law Enforcement, and Fire Protection Agencies are tackling various aspects of the crisis. However, siting of recovery housing facilities, land use regulation roadblocks, and community opposition due to misunderstanding the issues, and education for land use boards, public officials, and other stakeholders have not been addressed. The SNHPC intends to provide an education/outreach initiative, as well as assist our region’s communities and service providers in overcoming these barriers.

In 2018, SNHPC held its annual Legislative Outreach event at the NH Institute of Politics, the theme of which was "creating a healthy response to New Hampshire's substance abuse crisis." Since then, the Commission has been working to identify the needs and issues in its communities surrouding this public health issue from a planning and housing standpoint.