A new collaborative initiative, A Place to Go, aims to provide much-needed mental health and substance use crisis care in Plymouth, New Hampshire. This facility, located at the Lakes Region Mental Health Center (LRMHC) campus, is one of just two such centers across the state, and will help people in acute behavioral health crises access immediate support and services while avoiding hospital emergency departments.
Addressing Mental Health Crises in New Hampshire
The creation of A Place to Go aligns with New Hampshire’s ambitious 10-Year Mental Health Plan, focusing on improving access to mental health care and stabilizing individuals experiencing crises. It is a direct response to the state’s Mission Zero plan, which aims to eliminate psychiatric boarding in hospital emergency departments by 2025. According to DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver, “We know it works,” referring to the early successes of initiatives like this one, which are helping reduce wait times and improve patient outcomes.
This new facility is part of an ongoing effort to address barriers to mental health care, such as the lack of timely access to care, inadequate inpatient services, and long stays in psychiatric facilities due to a lack of proper support for safe discharge. A Place to Go is positioned to meet these needs by providing a supportive environment where clients can receive stabilization services without needing emergency medical intervention.
Comprehensive Support and Peer Recovery Services
Unlike traditional medical facilities, A Place to Go is designed to feel more like a home. The center includes a kitchenette, lounge, and comfortable rooms, as well as a treatment space where clients can engage in therapeutic activities. This environment aims to promote a sense of comfort and safety for individuals in crisis. The center offers peer support services, where trained professionals, many of whom have personal recovery experience, provide assistance and understanding to clients facing similar struggles.
Maggie Pritchard, LRMHC’s President and CEO, highlighted the importance of peer support, noting that it is not just a service but “the deal” for many clients. Peer recovery specialists offer essential emotional and practical support, helping clients navigate mental health challenges and connecting them to additional resources such as housing or employment opportunities.
Expansion of Services and Future Goals
Currently, A Place to Go serves individuals who have been pre-screened for safety, meaning they are stable enough to benefit from the services without posing a danger to themselves or others. Referrals come from mental health and service organizations, but there are plans to expand the facility’s access to include walk-ins and potential referrals from law enforcement.
The goal of the facility is to provide timely stabilization care, helping to prevent individuals from being admitted to emergency rooms or long-term psychiatric facilities. In addition to the peer support staff, the center collaborates with The Doorway—a state-wide service for substance use treatment—to provide comprehensive care addressing both mental health and substance use concerns.
By the end of 2025, the state hopes to open a third stabilization facility to meet the growing demand for these critical services. The pilot center in Plymouth, together with the existing facility in Derry, represents a step forward in the state’s vision to transform crisis care and reduce the burden on emergency departments across New Hampshire.
