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ROCHESTER Frisbie Memorial to open mental health center downtown

Portsmouth Herald - 6/11/2017

ROCHESTER - Frisbie Memorial Hospital is in the process of opening a downtown mental health center that officials say will help underserved residents and address one of the most overlooked contributing factors to the opioid crisis.

Frisbie President and CEO John Marzinzik said the hope is for the facility to open this fall at 39 South Main St. According to Marzinzik, there are currently no facilities in Rochester that provide services to help individuals with untreated mental health issues or individuals with a dual diagnosis involving mental health and substance abuse issues.

"There is as much a mental health component as there is a drug component (in substance abuse)," he said, alluding to statistics that indicate as many as 80 percent of people with substance abuse disorders have co-occurring mental health challenges. "We need mental health services in our community. We're creating and developing these services because it's the right thing to do. We owe it to our community to be front and center and be a true resource for them if they need it."

Frisbie opened the Rochester Community Recovery Center in downtown last October to help address the dearth of accessible substance abuse services. Marzinzik said the mental health center is the next step in that mission.

Strafford County ranks eighth out of the state's 10 counties for overall health outcomes, according to Strafford County Public Health Advisory Council Network. Overall, New Hampshire is one of the healthiest states in the country, yet among the worst in funding for and access to mental health services, according to the network.

New Hampshire Hospital, the state's inpatient psychiatric treatment facility in Concord, currently has 48 people on a waiting list for services, Marzinzik said.

Rochester's mental health center will be in the old Hair Excitement building, which is located on the COAST bus line and a short walk from key municipal buildings and city services.

The hospital recently signed a five-year lease for the space. Marzinzik said the building will require $250,000 to $270,000 of renovations to create five confidential counseling and treatment rooms. He anticipates renovations will begin in July or early August.

Frisbie signed a contract with Dover-based Community Partners, a nonprofit social services agency, to staff the center five days a week with three full-time mental health counselors, whom he said Community Partners will hire in the next two to three months.

Marzinzik said he hopes the center will be open at least a couple of nights a week and on Saturdays to serve veterans and homeless individuals seeking service free of charge.

Marzinzik said he expects the center to operate at a loss because of the free service to veterans and homeless individuals, and the fact it won't turn away anyone who doesn't have insurance or means to afford services. That operating loss won't be shifted to Community Partners, though, as Marzinzik said Frisbie will "pick up the difference."

"From a hospital standpoint, we're going to lose money," he said. "We're not doing this to make a profit. We're doing this to help our community."

Marzinzik estimated the center could lose $45,000 or more. The Foundation for Healthy Communities has pledged roughly $50,000 to offset that loss, he said. Marzinzik said if President Donald Trump eliminates the Affordable Care Act, the loss could be higher. "It might be double that," he said.

In addition to the mental health center, Marzinzik said Frisbie is working to implement a new pain management program. He said one of the focuses is to reduce the number of individuals who turn to street drugs to cope with chronic pain once their prescriptions run out or are no longer effective.

Marzinzik said he has a meeting next week to discuss ways to expand services at RCRC. In addition, he said Frisbie will continue to discuss how it can work with in the Rochester area and other New Hampshire hospitals to improve services and resources for Granite State residents.

"We will continue to look for all other opportunities to expand," he said. "I have no boundaries. If you come up with a good idea and it makes sense, I'm in."