2024 New Hampshire debate involving candidates for governor: Mental health holds in ERs
Updated: 8:41 PM EDT Oct 30, 2024
NO, WE NEED TO. AND, SENATOR, HOW ABOUT YOU? NO, I WOULD NOT. OKAY. NEXT QUESTION FROM STEVE BOTTARI. THERE HAVE BEEN PROMISES FOR YEARS THAT CHILDREN AND ADULTS GOING THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES WOULDN’T BE HELD FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME IN EMERGENCY ROOMS HERE IN THE GRANITE STATE, BUT IT’S STILL HAPPENING. THE NUMBERS SHOW MOST WEEKS BETWEEN A DOZEN, SOMETIMES TWO DOZEN, PEOPLE ARE IN ERS BECAUSE THERE AREN’T ADEQUATE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IN THIS STATE. CAN YOU GIVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THIS WILL STOP? AND HOW WOULD YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN? SENATOR AYOTTE, TO YOU FIRST, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE, STEVE, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE SITTING IN EMERGENCY ROOMS SOMETIMES CHILDREN. SO IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE MORE BED CAPACITY. THE STATE HOSPITAL HAS BEEN EXPANDING. THERE WERE SOME PRIVATE PROJECTS THAT UNFORTUNATELY, SOLUTION HEALTH WAS GOING TO GET FORWARD WITH 144 BEDS. WE NEED TO REVIVE THOSE TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS BECAUSE WE DO NEED MORE BEDS IN THIS STATE, BECAUSE WE CAN’T HAVE PEOPLE STAYING EMERGENCY ROOM. SO I WILL DO THAT. I WILL BUILD THOSE PARTNERSHIPS AS GOVERNOR. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, AND THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO USE OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM TO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS, LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR THOSE WHO WILL WORK IN THE MENTAL HEALTH FIELD FOR, SAY, 4 OR 5 YEARS HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES NOT ONLY IN THE COMMUNITY, MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS, BUT ALSO IN MORE ACUTE SETTINGS. AND, MAYOR CRAIG, HOW CAN YOU GIVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THIS WILL STOP? AND WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS? SURE. THIS IS ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE A CRISIS IN OUR STATE FROM A MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT. WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH BEDS FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR ADULTS, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HAVE THE SERVICES IN PLACE IN OUR STATE. WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH PROFESSIONALS FROM A MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, AND WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE HERE. PART OF THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT INCREASING OUR MEDICAID RATE REIMBURSEMENT RATES AND CUTTING THE RED TAPE FOR THE STATE, REIMBURSING TO OUR MEDICAL HEALTH COMMUNITY CENTERS. I’VE PARTNERED WITH MANCHESTER MENTAL HEALTH WHEN I WAS MAYOR OF MANCHESTER, WENT ON OUTREACH TRIPS WITH THEM TO TALK TO INDIVIDUALS. I UNDERSTAND THE HARD WORK THAT THEY’RE DOING, AND I WILL BE A PARTNER TO THEM IN THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, MAKING SURE WE ARE DOING EVERYTHIN
2024 New Hampshire debate involving candidates for governor: Mental health holds in ERs
Updated: 8:41 PM EDT Oct 30, 2024
At their Granite State Debate, New Hampshire gubernatorial candidates Kelly Ayotte and Joyce Craig discuss how they would end the practice of extended mental health holds in emergency rooms in the state.
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
At their Granite State Debate, New Hampshire gubernatorial candidates Kelly Ayotte and Joyce Craig discuss how they would end the practice of extended mental health holds in emergency rooms in the state.