NASHUA – Granite Pathways is being removed as the operator of two Doorways through the Hub-and-Spoke model in Manchester and Nashua, and the Gate City could soon see a new hub open its doors.

After numerous issues were uncovered during a recent review of Granite Pathways, officials with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services are working on new plans. Gov. Chris Sununu and members of the Executive Council are scheduled to consider the matter in March.

“The state intends to seek governor and council approval to transition the Doorway programs in these two regions to Catholic Medical Center (CMC) in Manchester and Southern New Hampshire Health in Nashua,” DHHS spokeswoman Kathy Remillard stated in an email.

There are nine physical locations across the state under this model, with each Doorway serving as an access and referral hub so that no one has to travel more than an hour to begin taking that first step toward their recovery.

According to the Granite Pathways Doorways Contracts Evaluation: Findings & Recommendations report for Sununu, performed by DHHS officials, it was found that Granite Pathways was unsuccessful in meeting contract requirements.

This review came at the direction of Sununu after a series of incidents at the Granite Pathways Youth Treatment Center in November 2019, including youth hospitalization for suspected overdoses. Aside from those troubles, this DHHS report cites that: “In particular, Granite Pathways staff reported they are not meeting the contracted requirements for case management and making referrals (i.e., referred services do not always match the appropriate ASAM-criteria level of care).”

The full report can be found online at, www.governor.nh.gov/news-media/press-2020/documents/pathways-doorway-review.pdf.

Prior to Granite Pathways coming to the city, Nashua was already offering the Safe Stations program for people looking for help with their addictions, which was implemented in November 2016. However, during Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen meeting Mayor Jim Donchess said with these changes occurring on the state level, these 24/7 access points for those seeking treatment may eventually be cut.

The mayor also said the hospital could take over in May, with about a 30-day transition while both agencies are in place. Donchess believes this is good news because the hospital has a much stronger presence in the city. He said people understand the hospital, and the hospital understands Nashua far better than Granite Pathways ever could.

“Longer term, the state is interested in trying to move all people into a single reporting location, the so-called Doorway, and when and if that occurs, over time, that means that the fire stations could be phased out as the principal reporting locations for people seeking help and treatment, and seeking to get into recovery,” Donchess said.

Donchess believes the hospital is a good partner to be working with on this, and said it could mean that at least the number of people reporting into the fire stations would decrease. Donchess believes the community response will only be strengthened by getting the hospital in as the primary movers of the state’s approach, rather than this out of town agency.

Nashua Alderman Tom Lopez said Granite Pathways is co-located with the city’s Mobile Crisis response team, adding that the organization employed people who had peer experience in recovery, meaning they had personal experience with struggles.

Lopez hopes the hospital intends to use that model as well, plans to at least engage the employees who have done the best they can with limited resources. He also said there is a much stronger peer recovery resource climate now than there ever has been in Nashua.

Lopez believes the city has come a long way since the opioid crisis was first identified as such, although voicing a concern that officials do not just consider it an opioid crisis, citing how he has seen a lot more people using cocaine and methamphetamine.

“I think without the (Nashua Fire Rescue), we would never have been able to do as much as we did. But I hope we look at the problem as it presents itself moving forward, rather than letting ourselves just look at a slice of it,” Lopez said.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

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