New 120-bed Mental Health Hospital Approved; Quinn Reconfirmed Safety Commissioner

Print More

Paula Tracy photo

Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn is pictured talking about agenda items at the Executive Council meeting standing next to Gov. Chris Sununu.

By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org

CONCORD – A 120-bed consolidated behavioral health facility will be built somewhere in southern New Hampshire as part of a $15 million state agreement with SolutionHealth, within the next year and a half.

Also, Robert Quinn of Seabrook was unanimously confirmed by the Executive Council to another term as Commissioner to the Department of Safety. There was no public mention of a whistleblower complaint against Quinn that was recently dismissed.

Another five mental health beds will be created at Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon for $1 million also penned by Gov. Chris Sununu and the Executive Council Wednesday, is using one-time federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

The deal with SolutionHealth will cover a portion of the construction costs for the $55 to $60 million facility and guarantee operation and staffing for a minimum of 10 years. A location will likely be announced soon, officials said.

It comes at a time when the state is facing a crisis in its hospitals with emergency rooms being used to board mental health patients because the state does not have enough staffing for beds at the NH State Hospital.

Currently, about 31 adults and five children are waiting in such emergency room hospital beds for mental health beds, state officials said.

The deal is with SolutionHealth https://www.solutionhealth.org/, which is affiliated with Elliot Hospital in Manchester and Southern New Hampshire Health will be, in reality, 81 new psychiatric beds for adults, children, and the elderly that currently do not exist in the state.

The deal is for the creation of 72 designated receiving facility (DRF) beds, representing a net increase of 44 beds, for those age 18 and older on either a voluntary or involuntary basis who may or may not have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Another 24 new beds will be staffed for an inpatient child/adolescent psychiatric unit and also the plan calls for 24 geriatric beds, a net increase of 13 for those aged 55 and over.
This is in addition to the state’s recent purchase of Hampstead Hospital for children and adolescent behavioral health needs.

The council’s contract with Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon which is part of DHMC will be for six years at the cost of $1 million, also using ARPA dollars and also covering 40 percent of the construction costs to be born the hospital.

Sununu has recently criticized the state’s hospitals for going to court to fight over the issue of the emergency room boarding crisis rather than working with the state on solutions and noted that the state continues to offer money through the one-time ARPA funds to create hospital beds.

A similar pact was considered with Portsmouth Regional Hospital in 2022, using $15 million in ARPA dollars for a proposed 96-bed hospital in Epping for seven years, but that deal fell through.

Lori Weaver, Health and Human Services  commissioner, said there would be guarantees in giving the money for 10 years with SoltionHealth. Executive Councilor David Wheeler, R-Milford, asked what happens if they default.

Weaver said it would extend the contract time frame and there are clawbacks for the funds for breach of contracts.

Executive Councilor Joe Kenney,R-Wakefield asked about the north country and access to mental health services.
Weaver said the agreement is for the whole state. She said the state put out a request to hear from all hospitals and the call-out went to everyone. Elliot and Dartmouth Hitchcock were the only ones to answer the call.

“This isn’t a one-and-done sort of deal,” Weaver said.

Sununu said everyone in the north country was offered.
“It would be great if anyone in the north country would take up,” the offer noting there was $200,000 offered per bed.
“Let’s keep fishing,” Kenney said.

Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, D-Concord, said these contracts are for acute care hospital beds, but the key to the solution to the state’s crisis is to build out the local services to return these people to their communities.

Warmington said the problem with these hospitals is a lack of staffing.
These beds won’t be available for a year and a half, she said. She said the state should be focused on opening those New Hampshire Hospital beds and work on community transitional care to open up more critical beds.

Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas, R-Manchester, said why should we expect that Elliot will have a better chance at recruiting staff. Weaver said the deal will include some of Elliot’s and DHMC’s existing staff and they are motivated as part of the contract to find enough people. She said the DHHS has seen a little bit of a decrease in attrition rates so that is a positive sign.

Warmington said she was very grateful to DHMC for opening up some more DRF beds, at a time when all are stretched with workforce shortages.

QUINN RECONFIRMED TO SAFETY
Robert Quinn of Seabrook was unanimously confirmed to another term as Commissioner to the Department of Safety, without any discussion.

There was no public mention of a recent whistleblower complaint against Quinn that was recently dismissed.

Executive Councilor Kenney said Quinn is a good fit right now to lead the department and said he has a great team together, while Councilor Warmington said she is particularly pleased with Quinn’s efforts to integrate the mental health needs of the state into his safety plans.
After the meeting, Kenney said he had an interview for several hours with Quinn and said his 38 years in law enforcement, combined with his institutional knowledge of the state and his leadership team make him a good fit right now for the state.

“He knows the seven divisions, the people that are there. I think he’s got good leadership, particularly with our new Assistant Commissioner Steve Lavoie coming on – he’s a crackerjack with administration, and computers – and Eddie Edwards has a long-standing law enforcement background. So I think it is a good team and I think the leadership in safety is very comfortable with that leadership team,” Kenney said.
Warmington, said with all nominations she listens to her constituents.
“Yes, I heard comments from various people and I took them all into consideration. I personally have worked very, very well with Commissioner Quinn, particularly about mental health issues. He is concerned about the mental health of his staff and has boosted those resources and as we talked about today, more training for officers to deal with mental health situations. I just have been very, very pleased with the way he has worked with me on those issues and others.”

The term is through March 2027 at a current annual salary of $142,272. Also confirmed was Steven Lavoie of Allenstown as assistant commissioner, succeeding Richard C. Bailey of Bow with a salary of $128,102, and Eddie Edwards of Dover, reappointed as Assistant Commissioner to the Department of Safety at a salary of $134,446.
The governor nominated Denis Goulet of Manchester for another term as commissioner of the Department of Information Technology.



FRANCOPHONE MONTH
Gov. Sununu welcomed more than a dozen Franco-Americans and proclaimed March Francophone Month. John Tousingnant gave the governor a book “French All Around Us.”
“This goes with the ‘I’ve been everywhere theme.'”

The meeting began with a musical selection from members of the Nashua Community Music School.


Comments are closed.