IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Kate Fleming

The Dupont Group/ White Birch Communications

kfleming@dupontgroup.com

718-450-0646

New Hampshire Community Mental Health Centers Are Open

Centers Are Responding To COVID-19 By Transitioning Services and Support to Telehealth, Telephone and Online

The New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association (CBHA) is one of the many organizations around the state dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. CBHA is comprised of ten member Community Mental Health Centers who provide over forty locations throughout New Hampshire serving individuals and families in communities.

Together, CBHA and its centers are working to shift services and supports to reflect the current situation and to address recommended extended isolation based on the Center for Disease Control guidelines. As the number of cases of COVID-19 increases, so does the associated anxiety. The mental health effects of COVID-19 are as important to address as are the physical health effects we are seeing throughout the state and the world.

The local community mental health centers are open and working diligently to meet the needs of their clients and anyone who needs mental health assistance. However, among the challenges the centers face are the same challenges other health care providers are experiencing around the state; shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) which protects clients and the staff, managing patients who require in-home visits while following the social distancing guidelines, and continued work towards protecting the financial integrity of the nonprofit health care providers.  Many of the centers provide injectable medications which require the use of PPE’s.

While walk-ins are not accepted currently, there are many other options for clients to get the support they need. Several of the centers have already successfully transitioned to Telehealth, telephone supports and online and video platforms.

Further, centers are thoroughly following the CDC and Governor’s recommendations as they regard COVID-19. Almost daily, each center is releasing information relevant and important for their clients and the public through their websites and their social media channels.

Roland Lamy, Executive Director of CBHA, said, “This is a difficult time for all of us and it is particularly hard for adults and children with mental illness. We want all citizens to know that their community mental health centers are ready to help and are working hard to make access to services available via telehealth and by telephone.  If you or a loved one needs support, you can reach out to your local mental health center, listed below. We are all in this together and we each need to stay well for the sake of everyone in our state, our nation and the world.”

The Community Mental Health Centers are:

Riverbend Community Behavioral Health: https://www.riverbendcmhc.org/  (603) 228-1600

Seacoast Mental Health Center: https://smhc-nh.org/  (603) 431-6703

Lakes Region Mental Health: https://www.lrmhc.org/ (603) 524-1100

The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester: https://www.mhcgm.org/  (603) 668-4111

Greater Nashua Mental Health https://gnmh.org (603) 889-6147

Community Partners: https://communitypartnersnh.org/  (603) 516-9300

Center for Life Management: https://www.centerforlifemanagement.org/  (603)-434-1577

Northern Human Services: https://northernhs.org/ (603) 447-8001

Monadnock Family Services: https://www.mfs.org/  (603) 357-4400

West Central Behavioral Health: https://www.wcbh.org/ (603) 542-5128

About the NH Community Behavioral Health Association

The NH Community Behavioral Health Association is an organization comprised of the ten community mental health centers throughout New Hampshire.  These centers serve individuals in our state who are living with – and recovering from – mental illness and emotional disorders.  This network of mental health centers provides ongoing and emergency behavioral health services to New Hampshire residents, both children and adults.  The goal of the Association is to raise awareness about the crucial role played by community-based mental health centers to ensure public safety and overall public health for all New Hampshire residents.  In addition, the Association serves as an advocate for a strong mental health system across New Hampshire.