Karen Heberg, director for the Division of Economic Stability at DHHS, presented the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state plan and introduced program staff.

Heberg told the committee CSBG is a federal grant from the Office of Community Services administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that funds services to alleviate causes and conditions of poverty. She said DHHS contracts with five Community Action Programs that collectively serve roughly 129,000 individuals annually. The department also reported the most recent CSBG award (fiscal year 2024) was "just over $4,000,000."

Heberg described CSBG uses — housing, nutrition, utility and transportation assistance, employment and education supports, crisis and emergency services, and community asset building — and explained that the funding allocation formula is agreed with the CAP agencies and is based on population and poverty with allowances for rural communities and demographic shifts.

Presenters gave examples of local top needs identified by CAPs: dental care and housing in Belknap and Merrimack Counties; housing and homelessness in Stafford County; dental services, food assistance and utility/fuel assistance in Southern New Hampshire; and substance misuse, living wages and affordable housing in the southwestern service area.

Committee members had no substantive objections and DHHS said it would share handouts and follow up with requested materials.