Carroll County Coalition for Public Health introduces network services and prevention initiatives to delegation

The Carroll County Coalition for Public Health introduced its staff and described the network's scope of work and funding sources to the Carroll County Delegation. Jill Gilbert, director of public health for the coalition, said the network is one of 13 in New Hampshire and receives funding through the state Department of Health and Human Services (including Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services) and from charitable grants.

Nut graf: The coalition outlined several ongoing programs focused on substance-misuse prevention, support for veterans, community health worker navigation, electronic referrals through the New Hampshire Care Connections (the "Unite Us" platform), and public-health emergency preparedness. Delegation members asked about boots-on-the-ground partnerships with law enforcement and about staffing and funding sustainability.

Key points presented - Substance-misuse prevention: The coalition uses federal block-grant money (substance-abuse prevention and treatment) administered by the state and convenes stakeholders (educators, youth-serving organizations, faith groups, civic groups) for prevention, training and youth engagement. - Veterans coalition: The group recently launched a Carroll County Veterans Coalition and scheduled a conference (North Conway Community Center) to connect veterans with services. - Community health worker: The coalition employs a community health worker who helps residents find primary care, apply for benefits and access services; Gilbert said the service fills gaps for people without an established medical home. - New Hampshire Care Connections / Unite Us: The network helps sign service providers onto the Unite Us closed-loop referral platform so partners can send electronic referrals and confirm whether people received services. A community engagement coordinator recruits partners for the platform. - Public health emergency preparedness: Staff assist municipalities with planning for public-health emergencies, pandemics and natural disasters to build local response capacity.

Funding and staffing Gilbert told the delegation the coalition's current staffing is six people including the director, the community health worker, an emergency preparedness coordinator and a care-coordination staffer who covers a larger region. Funding is a mix of state-administered federal block grants, CDC cooperative agreements, and project-specific grants (New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and others). Coalition staff and delegation members discussed sustainability concerns: the network relies on piecing together multiple time-limited grants and cooperative agreements.

Questions from delegation members Representatives asked whether the coalition has regular contact with law enforcement and public-safety partners; coalition staff said they participate in initiatives such as sequential intercept mapping with the judicial branch and local police, and they collaborate on naloxone distribution and prescription-drug take-back days. Delegates also sought details on staffing (six full-time staff reported) and whether the coalition provides direct services versus referrals; staff described their role as "helping the helpers," running stakeholder committees and coordinating locally delivered services.

Ending Coalition staff offered the delegation contact information and asked members to use the network as a resource when legislation affecting public health appears on the delegation's agenda.