On Feb. 20, individuals and families impacted by NH’s current policy of handcuffing individuals in a mental health crisis who are being transported to NH Hospital stood with the NH Community Behavioral Health Association, NAMI-NH, the Children’s Behavioral Health Collaborative, and other advocates in support of SB 177, limiting the use of restraints. A change from our State’s current policy - which applies to both adults and adolescents - would be a long overdue shift to a clinical rather than law enforcement decision of whether or not restraints are necessary.

In a rare display of unanimity, the Senate on Thursday advanced two major pieces of legislation aimed at addressing the statewide crisis in mental health services and child welfare.

Senate Bill 11, which allocates more than $10 million to mental health services, and Senate Bill 14, a sweeping $9 million overhaul of the state’s child protection practices, were approved with little debate in 24-0 votes.

At 13, Anna Mandh is already familiar with several mental health hospitals in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

She can name them with ease: the Yellow Pod at Concord Hospital and Hampstead Hospital, the Brattleboro Retreat over the border in Vermont, and the McLean-Franciscan Children inpatient program just outside of Boston.

When we think about New Hampshire’s future, a top priority for all citizens should be ensuring that we have an education system that works for every student. But educational opportunities are not equally distributed among all our state’s communities, meaning that some children are struggling because they are not given a fair chance to do well.

One way this is evident is when children of color, children with disabilities, and children with behavioral health issues get suspended or expelled from school at higher rates than their peers.

Mobile crisis teams would make house calls to children with mental health problems within an hour anywhere in the state under a bill backed by a Senate committee Tuesday.