NH Gets $921K in ACA Mental Health Funding

The federal Health and Human Services department granted nearly $1 million last week to the state of New Hampshire to establish or expand “behavioral health services” to 5,563 residents, according to officials in the department.

Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced the grant, as part of more than $54 million in grants issued under the Affordable Care Act that are heading to 221 health centers and 47 states and Puerto Rico. The expansion of services is expected to assist more than 450,000 people.

The grants will be used to hire new employees in an effort to add mental health and substance use disorder health services.

“These awards will further reduce the barriers that too often prevent Granite Staters from getting the help they need for mental health problems,” Burwell said in a statement. “Health centers in New Hampshire with these awards are on the front lines of better integrating mental health into primary care and improving access to care through the Affordable Care Act.”

The act, also known as ObamaCare, according to officials, expanded mental health and substance use disorder benefits for approximately 60 million Americans nationwide, including 253,680 Granite Staters.