This Is Us

Mission / Vision  Value Statement  Our Team  Financially Sound

Our Mission

Makin’ It Happen is on a mission! . . . to create a coordinated response among individuals, organizations, businesses and communities to promote behaviors that measurably improve the overall health and well-being of our youth, families and communities with a focus on alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention and mental wellness.

Our Vision

We envision a future where all of our youth and families have appropriate support to live, learn work and play in healthy, thriving communities.

Value Statement

Our collective work within the Greater Manchester Region is based on the belief that physical and mental health are essential, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover.

Behavioral And Physical
Health Are Essential

Prevention Works!

Treatment Is Effective

People Recover

The work Makin’ It Happen does is run through the filters to the left, as well as the following Social Determinants of Health (SDOH):

Social Determinants of Health

According to the CDC, social determinants of health are conditions in the environments in which people live, learn, work, and play that affect a whole range of health and quality of life risks and outcomes.

Healthy People 2030, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved January 13, 2021, from https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health

Makin’ It Happen works diligently to form partnerships with our community stakeholders to support work focused around the five SDOH domains, with a goal of affecting positive change for the communities which we serve. Our work is in step with the five recommendations as detailed in the Greater Manchester Strategic Framework for Health Improvement.

To read the full report go to: https://www.manchesternh.gov/Portals/6/SiteContent/GreaterManchesterCommunityNeedsHealthAssessment.pdf

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH DOMAINS

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK KEY GOALS

Our Focused Work

Economic Stability

All Residents are economically self-sufficient and are socially connected to their community

Helping businesses to develop strong, supported workforces – promoting policies that support and strengthen Recovery Ready Communities

Education Access and Quality

All residents are engaged in healthy behaviors

Through our Resiliency Essentials programming, bringing prevention and targeted trainings, our community members engage, educate, and empower support of our school district’s prevention efforts.

Healthcare Access and Quality

All residents have access to quality health care and preventive health services

Our regional Harm Reduction Strategy has been designed to inform, educate, and empower individuals to live healthy lives, and to support our vulnerable populations

Social and Community Context

Systems are designed to foster neighborhoods of opportunity for generations to come

Community Impact in the 603 is rooted in the belief that supporting our youth/young people through providing leadership and mentoring opportunities will support the fostering of neighborhoods of opportunity for generations to come

Neighborhood and Build Environment

Neighborhoods are designed to support healthy living for all residents
Working with our six key community sectors – Business, Government, Health, Education, Safety/Law Enforcement, and Community/Families – we strive to engage, educate, and empower individuals, families, and communities to actively participate in the development of safe and healthy neighborhoods

Our Team

Mary Forsythe-Taber, CPS
Executive Director

Ashley Bachert

Community Impact Project Assistant

Tracy Bachert
Community Impact Manager

Kayt Gagneux
Resiliency Essentials Program Director

Janelle Havens
Resiliency Essentials Program Manager

Kayshauna Montaño
Community Impact Communications Manager

Maureen O’Leary
Project/Grants Manager

Financially Sound

Federal Block Grant funding is issued by the NH Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services (BDAS) to the NH Regional Public Health Network system designated fiscal agencies. Makin’ It Happen (MIH) is the designated lead for the Greater Manchester region, with Manchester Health Department as the fiscal agent. Contracts are issued/signed in two-year blocks, providing consistent and stable support for Substance Misuse Prevention, Substance Use Disorder Continuum of Care and the Young Adult Strategy efforts for the region.

In addition, funding from Network 4 Health, the NH Charitable Foundation, and the NH Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) have bolstered our financial stability and brought new opportunities to expand our mission.

Bookkeeping services are provided by an independent agency, following National Accounting Best Practice standards. Tax preparation, financial reviews, compilation, and periodic financial audits are conducted by an independent accounting firm, with non-profit experience, to ensure the organization remains financially sound and positioned for growth.

2022-2023

Fluid > Flexible > Forward

Download Report

2020-2021

Growth Hybrid Pandemic

Download Report

2019

Growth With Intention

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2018

Growth Through Opportunity

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Contact Us

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Mary Forsythe-Taber, CPS

Executive Director/Chief Visionary

My Role at MIH:

As the executive director for MIH, I oversee operations along with providing oversight and management of our grants, contracts, projects, and staff. On the flip side, as the chief visionary, I am always seeking out opportunities to help our team grow, expand their thinking, and imagine what could be possible as we bring our mission, vision, and value statement to life!

State Level:

2021 Vice Chair – Suicide Prevention Council, board member of the New Hampshire Prevention Certification Board, member of the NH Children’s Behavioral Health Policy Advisory Board, member of the Life Of an Athlete advisory board, Youth Advisor for the Governor’s Youth Advisory Council and team lead for the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services, Regional Public Health Network – Substance Misuse Prevention, Continuum of Care and Young Adult Strategies, for the Greater Manchester region.

Interests and Hobbies:

Although I’m not really a ‘hobby’ type of person, I am attracted to playing in the dirt (gardening), soaking up the sun when it decides to come out, and I’m drawn to the ocean whenever I need the sound of the waves crashing on the shore to clear my mind and the salt air to remind me to breathe deeply.

Favorite Quote:

“Every next LEVEL of your life WILL demand a different you” – author unsure

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Debbie Baird

Resiliency Essentials Project Coordinator/Compassion Messenger

My Role at MIH:

I am a strong and sincere advocate for mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and helping loss survivors in their healing journey. After losing my son Matthew to suicide, I volunteer and devote my time to helping educate New Hampshire communities in suicide prevention and helping loss survivors and their families. My passion and focus on reducing stigma and raising awareness for suicide prevention and bringing messages of hope and healing is front and center, and drives my work at MIH. As the resiliency essentials coordinator, I help to identify, plan, and roll out essential trainings and forum opportunities. For 2021 our focus will be on rolling out tMental Health First Aid, and Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) to the eight communities we serve.

State Level:

NH Suicide Prevention Council member. Chair for the Survivors of Suicide Loss Subcommittee, and member of the Communications Subcommittee for the NH Suicide Prevention Council. In addition, I am a Survivor Voices Speaker and a co-facilitator for the Concord Survivor of Suicide Loss Support Group.

Interests and Hobbies:

I love to take long walks, make crafts, and spend time with family.

Favorite Quote:

“Hope is the companion of power, the mother of success: for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles” – Samuel Smiles

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Brian Mooney

Community of Care Manager/Recovery Innovator

My Role at MIH:

I am the manager for the Community of Care initiatives for Makin’ It Happen. I lead the development of the Continuum of Care model, which includes the continued advancement of the Substance Use Disorder collaborative, encouraging partnership development, and problem identification and championing for policies and practices that make healthy living a possibility for everyone. In this position, I facilitate the Manchester Safe Station Committee, the Substance Use Disorder Collaborative, and the Youth Substance Misuse/Substance Use Task Force. Bringing stakeholders together to problem solve and evaluate system performance, assets, and gaps is a main focus of my work. I am leading MIH’s efforts in the development of a regional Recovery Ready Communities model and serve as the regional liaison for the business sector and the NH Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative. In addition, I serve as the Continuum of Care facilitator for the greater Manchester Regional Public Health network.

State Level:

I serve on the Governor’s Commission, Recovery Task Force and the Commission for the Study of Environmental Factors on Chronic Illness.

Interests and Hobbies:

Woodworking, drumming, skiing, and traveling.

Favorite Quote:

“The greatest glory in living lies is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Jane Skantze

Community Impact Manager/ Lead Storyteller

My Role at MIH:

My role at Makin’ It Happen is focused on providing support and communication to projects that are designed to engage, educate, and empower the youth, families, and communities within the region we serve. I manage the social media, communications, and web content development for our organization. In addition, I am a team member of our three core focus areas: Recovery Ready Communities, Resiliency Essential and Makin’ It Happen in the 603.

State Level:

I serve on the Peer Review committee for the NH Prevention Certification Board

Interests and Hobbies:

My interests outside of work are hanging out with my son Elijah who is 4, pursuing a master’s at Boston University in social work, and listening to podcasts about unsolved crimes.

Favorite Quote:

“…Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” – Ralph Waldo Emerson