New Hampshire gets funding to set up drug court program

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s congressional delegation announced the state has been awarded $1.75 million to establish a new family drug court program.

The grant will fund a Family Treatment Court pilot project in Sullivan County to improve access to services for children and families experiencing abuse and neglect as well as those facing substance abuse and mental health issues.

The delegation also announced $326,150 for Carroll County through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program. The funding will be used to connect social workers or mental health professionals with law enforcement officers when someone is in crisis. Another $155,313 will go to the New Hampshire Department of Justice.

“This new pilot program is vital for New Hampshire, which has been among the hardest-hit states by the opioid epidemic for far too long,” Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said in a statement. “We know all too well that the impact of substance use disorder isn’t limited to the person struggling — it’s felt by the entire family.”

Lawmakers “must do everything we can to meet Granite Staters struggling with substance misuse,” added Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.

“These federal grants will help strengthen our state’s family drug court system, our response to emergencies involving substance misuse or mental illness, and substance abuse treatment programs for incarcerated individuals,” she said.