Senators Shaheen, Hassan Announce More than $4 Million in Grants to Support Granite Staters Who Experience Disabilities

Grants will help improve and increase job opportunities, quality of home and community-based services for Granite Staters who experience disabilities

WASHINGTON – Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan today announced three grants that will help build a more inclusive New Hampshire by improving job opportunities and increasing and strengthening the quality of home and community-based services for Granite Staters who experience disabilities.

“I’m glad to see these federal funds come home to New Hampshire to support the Institute of Disability and the University of New Hampshire. These resource centers do tremendous work helping Granite Staters living with disabilities engage and succeed in our community and economy,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m encouraged by the leadership of these institutions to empower those living and working with disabilities, and I will continue to be an advocate and assist in any way I can to move their efforts forward so New Hampshire families have the support they need from their community.”

“In New Hampshire, we understand that everyone deserves the opportunity to be fully included in their community and has valuable contributions to make to our economy,”  Senator Hassan said. “Maintaining and excelling in a good job and having access to quality home- and community-based services are critical to ensuring that Granite Staters who experience disabilities have the support they need to continue contributing to our economic and civic life in New Hampshire. I will continue working to build a stronger, more inclusive New Hampshire where all of our people have the opportunity to get ahead and stay ahead.”

“These grants provide us with the opportunity to collaborate with partners in the NH developmental disability community, state agencies, and the College of Health and Human Services for significant change and impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities,” said Linda Bimbo, Acting Director of the Institute of Disability (IOD). “We feel extraordinarily fortunate to be able to engage in this important work that will impact thousands of individuals across the state.”

The Institute of Disability, in collaboration with several key partners, received the Living Well NH Quality Framework grant of $2.2 million to develop and implement the New Hampshire Quality framework – a comprehensive and coordinated approach to increase and improve the quality of home- and community-based services for Granite Staters who experience disabilities.

The University of New Hampshire, in collaboration with the Institute of Disability, also received a Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program grant of $1.9 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The grant will expand recruitment and cross-disciplinary training of UNH Master’s level students to increase access to high-quality integrated primary and behavioral health care for medically-underserved Granite Staters.

Another grant was awarded to the University of New Hampshire from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve job retention and facilitate job growth among Granite Staters who experience physical and mild cognitive disabilities through the use of career self-management strategies. The project is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), providing nearly $200,000 for three years. The University of New Hampshire will use the grant to study and develop best practices to support people with disabilities climb the career ladder from entry level jobs. 

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