Story Archives of 'Nick Toumpas'

North Country healthcare providers met recently with Nicholas Toumpas, head of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services .

They got some bad news, a pleasant surprise, and a plea for innovation.

NHPR correspondent Chris Jensen has the story.

Commissioner Nick Toumpas says budget cuts and layoffs make current law too expensive. The rollback proposal comes during national lead poisoning prevention week.

Over the past year the number of mental health patients in New Hampshire jumped by thirteen percent. But even as demand for services goes up, budget cuts are on their way that could affect the amount support that’s provided. We’ll look at how the Granite State delivers mental health care and how it will deal with rising caseloads and the lack of funding to support those cases.

Guests

• Jay Couture, Executive Director of Seacoast Mental Health Center and Director of the New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association
• Nick Toumpas, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

We'll also hear from

• Fran Wendelboe, Republican Representative from New Hampton and member of the New Hampshire House Finance Committee

One week into the state’s new fiscal cycle, social service providers are starting to grapple with the ‘new economic reality.’

Many of those providers worry the state hasn’t allocated enough money to help New Hampshire’s most vulnerable citizens.

The Department of Health and Human Services still must make $20 million dollars in added cuts over the next two years.

New Hampshire Public Radio’s Dan Gorenstein reports that the new budget is just a sign of the changes on the horizon.

The day after Governor Lynch's biennial budget address, we’ll look at who are the big winners and losers are. We’ll see where the largest cuts are and how department heads may work around them. We’ll look at the sources of revenue proposed and how likely may they come true. We’ll also explore what this may all mean for the average Granite Stater.

Guest

• Josh Rogers, NHPR state house reporter

We'll also hear from

• Nick Toumpas, Comissioner of Health and Human Services
• Marjorie Smith, Democratic state representative from Durham and chair of the House Finance Committee
• Fran Wendelboe, Republican state representative from New Hampton and member of the Finance Committee
• Jeffrey Lyons, public information officer for the Department of Corrections
• Diana Lacey, 1st Vice President of the State Employees Association