An addiction recovery program has recently received a $50,000 grant to help create a short-term crisis housing and recovery program.
Catholic Medical Center announced in a press release that the nonprofit HOPE for New Hampshire Recovery was awarded the funds as part of the CMC’s investment in improving health services in Greater Manchester.
The grant will help launch HOPE for NH Recovery’s Pivot Program, which is a low-barrier, short-term housing initiative.
Randy Stevens is the executive director of HOPE for NH Recovery. He said the program allows eight people facing any kind of crisis, such as substance use, homelessness or mental health issues, to have housing for up to seven days while they look for long-term care. The goal is to provide immediate stabilization and prevent hospitalization or incarceration.
The program then helps people find either inpatient or outpatient care, or helps them return home with a safety plan and resources.
The program utilizes peer support services, where people who’ve previously been in recovery participate in a 56-hour training program run by Stevens and are supervised twice weekly.
“What it means to be a peer support is to leverage your lived experience to create mutuality and connection with individuals to help them move through their stage of change off to where they're trying to go for themselves,” Stevens said.
The program has raised roughly $175,000 with help from Granite United Way, Opioid Abatement Funds, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and now CMC.
Stevens said he’s looking to reach $500,000 to sustain the program for the rest of year.
“I'm hopeful that other partners are going to get behind us now that CMC has,” Stevens said. “My worry is in the first year we have to have a lot to work out all the kinks, work out the contract with the state. And I want to be sure that we are sustainable for the future and keep this program going.”
The Pivot Program soft launched this past August, opening up four beds to those in need. Stevens said he was pleasantly surprised with how well the test run went.
The remaining four spots in the program will open on Sept. 21.
