Senator Hassan, Mayor Craig Host Roundtable on Manchester’s Plans to Use American Rescue Plan Funding

MANCHESTER – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan and Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig hosted a roundtable today at the Manchester Police Department to highlight how the American Rescue Plan funding that Senator Hassan helped secure will help the city strengthen its efforts to support public health and neighborhood safety.

See below for highlights of the roundtable in Manchester Ink Link:

Manchester Ink Link: Hassan and Craig discuss ARP impact on policing and health initiatives

By Andrew Sylvia

On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan and Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig joined with members of the Manchester Police Department, Manchester Health Department and Amoskeag Health in a round table to discuss the impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds coming to Manchester on COVID-19 and policing initiatives.

For Manchester Police Department Chief Allen Aldenberg, one of the key benefits of the funding coming from the plan for the city’s ARP funds approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen recently will be increased overtime funding that will allow increased flexibility for the department’s anti-crime unit as well as relief for the department’s detectives.

… Manchester Health Department Chief Strategy Officer Jamie Hoebeke said that the Manchester Health Department has also aimed to engage in proactive efforts to prevent an increased spread of COVID-19, but must also balance that with reactive efforts to assist Manchester residents with health concerns following another recent rise in COVID-19 infection rates in the city.

Craig noted 13 new proposed community health workers that will be hired through the ARP funds that hopefully will help the Health Department increase its outreach in under served communities as well as alleviate pressures on police involvement in calls that require emergency mental health assistance.

…The round table also held discussion on how the funding will help Amoskeag Health’s ACERT program as well as questions from Hassan regarding the opioid epidemic impact in the city.

...Hassan thanked the panel for the discussion and its efforts to support Manchester and by extension, New Hampshire given the city’s impact on communities throughout the Granite State.

“When Manchester moves forward, it helps the whole state and its residents,” said Hassan.

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