According to the report, the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee approved funding for the proposal on Sept. 23. The total construction cost is estimated between $50 million and $55 million. Next, it will require approval from the executive council.
New Hampshire has a shortage of inpatient psychiatric care, resulting in some patients being held in emergency rooms for days or weeks at a time, according to the report. According to state tracking metrics, on Sept. 23, New Hampshire Public Radio reported that 14 children and 38 adults were waiting for a psychiatric bed.
The fiscal committee previously approved $15 million for Portsmouth Regional Hospital and HCA Healthcare to build a 96-bed mental health facility in Epping, N.H. However, that plan was withdrawn after the state could not finalize the agreement.
