Senator Hassan Visits Safe Harbor Recovery Center, Discusses Importance of Expanding Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Services

Senator Hassan meets with Safe Harbor leadership and staff. 

PORTSMOUTH – Senator Maggie Hassan visited Safe Harbor Recovery Center today where she met with the Center’s leadership and staff and discussed the importance of expanding substance use disorder treatment and recovery services. The Senator also commended the Center’s efforts to help people in recovery secure jobs and supportive housing. 

“Safe Harbor Recovery Center is doing essential work to help those struggling with substance use disorder get the support they need, including helping people get back on their feet by connecting them with job opportunities and supportive housing,” Senator Hassan said. “We must do more to support organizations like these on the front lines of the devastating opioid crisis, and I will keep pushing for $25 billion in additional federal funding as part of the budget agreement that’s currently being negotiated to support treatment, recovery, prevention, and law enforcement efforts.”  

“We were proud to show Senator Hassan our work to build a community within a community where education, peer support, advocacy, training and employment are available to those in recovery,” said Donna Keefe, Director of New Initiatives at Granite Pathways. “The Senator is leading efforts in Washington to ensure that organizations like ours have the support and resources we need, and we look forward to continue working with her to eliminate stigma and support individuals struggling with addiction.”  

“As someone in recovery myself, there is nothing more fulfilling than being able to help someone else get placed in a program and then to see them thrive,” said Ashley Hurteau, a Recovery Access Point Services (RAPS) Specialist with Granite Pathways. “Access to treatment and recovery services makes a world of difference in the lives of the people I work with every day, and it is encouraging to know that we have a fierce advocate in Senator Hassan fighting to support our work.”

Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen held a press conference last week to announce a new Democratic proposal for $25 billion in additional funding to combat the opioid crisis to be included in the budget agreement. Hassan and Shaheen called for his $25 billion investment over two years to go towards programs that support opioid treatment in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Medicare and Medicaid.

The Senators also joined their colleagues last week in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to renew the opioid public health emergency declaration because of little action since its original declaration in October.

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