February RRCC Meeting Minutes

February Recovery Ready Communities Collaborative Meeting Minutes 

Thank you to Granite United Way for speaking about the new NH Care Connections (NHCC) portal! 

What’s New 

• The collaborative will meet remotely once more next month, for March. 

Featured Speaker – Brittany Boles, Granite United Way’s NH Care Connections/Closed Loop Referral System   

• Secure platform (Unite Us) is funded by DHHS and Military Affairs/Veterans Services – Free for all organizations to participate and use. 
• Services were previously structured in a siloed way (government, community, healthcare). A closed loop referral system is focused on taking care of the whole person, collaboratively. 
• Organization-to-Organization referrals and communication on the platform. 
• Process: referrals are accepted – case is managed – outcome is documented – impact is measured. 
• The organization is responsible for making initial contact with the potential client, rather than the client having to reach out to the organization first to begin services. 
• Demographic questions create a community organization dashboard for measured data on needs and gaps (but there is an option to decline questions). 
• Resources available using a map – produces a “rack card” with program description, availability for referrals/transportation, eligibility criteria, etc. 
• If your organization is already opted in with 211, you will appear in the resources section automatically. 
• Technical assistance is available for anyone who adopts this system. 
• Click HERE to join the network. 
• For questions or concerns about the system, reach out to Brittany: [email protected]. 

Overdose Prevention Updates

• 2025: 371 calls for suspected overdoses – lowest amount in 10 years for Manchester. 
• 41 overdose fatalities in Manchester in 2025 (compared to 79 in 2022). 

General Updates/Information

Prevention: 

• The February anti-stigma billboard is up on Queen City Avenue and features Heidi (a member of the Recovery Gallery, currently at Live Free).  

• My Recovery Gallery will be expanding in late spring/summer – watch for opportunity to submit a story for 2026-2027! 

• Makin’ It Happen’s Connection Conversations podcast season 2 has launched! Available on all platforms. Listen to the first episode:
  • Episode 1: Makin’ the Manchester Continuum of Care Count with Erica Diamond and Owen Love 

Recovery: 

• We are Here: The Power of Peer Recovery Lunch and Learn: A short film amplifying voices of individuals impacted by addiction, the power of the peer model, and navigating recovery will be shared on March 4^th, from 12-1pm. Please preregister in advance for this meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/FGa0iManRTKXt8uzxmF9nQ 

• MCoC PIT Count was completed on January 29^th. Over 30 volunteers out in the freezing cold at 5am to count the number of individuals who are homeless on a single night in Manchester. Very successful – 2025 numbers to come soon. 

• Recovery Friendly Workplace has Workforce Development services available to help work with job seekers in recovery. 
  • Includes assistance with individuals who are job seeking – writing resumes and cover letters, interview skills, etc. 
  • Learn more about the Workforce Development Supports program
  • Workforce development trainings available
  • Contact Jeanne for more details at [email protected] 

Action Plan 

Public Policy:  

• New Futures is hosting an “Advocacy 101” webinar on March 12^th, from 12pm-1pm. Learn more and sign up for the webinar here.
• As a reminder, New Futures will be facilitating an Advocacy 101 training for April’s Collaborative meeting. If you’re unable to make our April meeting, the March webinar is a great alternative. 

• Unregulated Intoxicants: 
  • Local towns around New Hampshire are attempting to regulate kratom and other unregulated intoxicants that are being sold through legal loopholes in convenience stores and gas stations. 
  • Goffstown will have it on March ballot to attempt to ban the sale of kratom, not supported by the select board due to a lack of state-level legislation. 
  • However, the state currently has 5 separate bills targeting these products to attempt to regulate them across NH (SB 624, 557, 1630, 1538). 
  • Public hearings for these bills are scheduled for 2/10 and 2/11: 
    • Senate Judiciary Committee – 2/10 at the State House, room 100. SB 624 1:30 PM, Title: restricting access to certain hemp-derived products. 
    • SB 557 2/10 at the State House, room 100. 1:50 PM Title: prohibiting the sale of kratom products to anyone under 21 years of age and providing for the regulation of the sale of kratom products. House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee – February 11th at Granite place, room 229. 
    • HB 1538 Hearing 2/11, 2:00 PM at Granite Place in room 229. Title: preventing vape products from being marketed towards minors. 
    • HB 1630 Hearing 2/11, 2:15 PM at Granite Place in room 229. Title: prohibiting the sale of nitrous oxide and certain inhalants for recreational purposes. 
    • View New Futures’ Advocacy Brief on unregulated intoxicants here. 

Communication:  

• Please review the shared google drive created for the Collaborative and provide feedback to determine if this is useful for members moving forward. In March, we will be polling members to see if there are improvements or pivots that need to be made. 

What’s Next 

• Upcoming, virtual trainings:
  • Wellness While Working: Balancing Recovery, Mental Health, and Work – March 11^th, 12:30pm – 1:30pm 
  • EnCompass – April 24^th, 9am – 4pm 
  • Post Incarceration Syndrome – July 15^th, 9am – 12pm 
• Portsmouth Music Hall is hosting a screening of Sundance Award-winning documentary “Shuffle” with the director on March 11 at 7pm – tickets are free, reservation required: https://www.themusichall.org/events/shuffle/ 

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 10^th, 10am-11am, held virtually via Zoom. 

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