NASHUA – Greater Nashua Mental Health has been awarded a $4 million grant, to be paid over the next four years, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in support of their proposal to join two other community mental health centers in New Hampshire in working toward being designated as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. Serving the Greater Nashua Region for more than 100 years, Greater Nashua Mental Health has been providing comprehensive, evidence-based behavioral health services since 1967. Currently offering results-based mental health, substance use disorder and primary healthcare services, the agency is one of the 10 designated Community Mental Health Centers serving the state of New Hampshire. With this funding, GNMH will be able to expand its integrated services, especially its substance use disorder services, which are now available to residents throughout the entire State.

The goal of a CCBHC is to expand and increase access to, and improve the quality of, community mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as well as provide clients with convenient primary health care services. As the need for services has increased exponentially over the past almost three years resulting from the pandemic, the CCBHC grant will expand 24/7 crisis intervention services for individuals with serious mental health or substance use disorders, as well as youth, adolescents, and adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The grant will be helpful in enhancing GNMH’s services and developing greater access to care and treatment options for residents of Southern Hillsborough County and surrounding areas. GNMH has launched this endeavor in October 2022, with funding granted through 2026.

“Far too many Granite Staters struggle with mental health or substance use disorder, and too few can access the help they need. That’s why this $4 million federal grant for Greater Nashua Health to become New Hampshire’s second Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic is so important. Expanding access to community health services has never been more important as our State continues to grapple with severe mental health and substance use disorders, two public health crises that exacerbate one another,” said U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who serves on the Labor, Health and Human Services Senate Appropriations Subcommittee. “I thank all the staff of Greater Nashua Health for their dedication to Granite Staters’ mental well-being, and I will continue to work to ensure our communities have these resources readily available to them.”

“We are extremely honored and excited to bring this opportunity to the Southern Hillsborough County region,” said Dr. Cynthia Whitaker, president and CEO of Greater Nashua Mental Health. “Our team of dedicated providers are ready to expand our current infrastructure and increase our collaboration with our community partners to offer an extended array of excellent, accessible mental health and substance use disorder treatment services to this region. The funds will also help the organization step back and evaluate what it needs to improve, and where to build capacity. That can be hard to do when staff are busy serving clients day to day.”

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