The 2025 Family Support Conference was held on May 30-31. The 2025 Family Support Conference is a wonderful community event with activities and information for all ages. Individuals and families from all over New Hampshire gathered in Concord to connect with each other and attend informative and thought-provoking open sessions and workshops. The Family Support Conference brought back the Friday night Welcome Reception and pizza party that was held at the McAuliffe Shepard Planetarium. Individuals, families and professionals were able to not only connect with each other, but also to experience all of the exhibits at the planetarium. DJ Mike provided the music to set the good-time mood of the evening.

Saturday brought the early morning start to the main Conference at the wonderful Grappone Center. The opening session was “Names You Should Know at DHHS” with presentations from the DHHS Division of Long Term Supports and Services (LTSS) and the Division of Medicaid Services Directors and Bureau Chiefs. The LTSS team stayed through the conference to answer specific questions and were on hand to offer information on programs. The lunchtime open session was a presentation on the “Stop Special” campaign, an initiative aimed at changing the language around the word “special”. Keynote speakers Dan and Samuel Habib presented and screened their movie “The Ride Ahead”. The session was well attended and interactive. Many great questions were asked by the audience, many of which were from teens and young adults in the audience.

While the young adults, parents and professionals attended the workshops and keynote presentation, youth and teens were having a blast in their own sessions including learning how to DJ with DJ Mike, Music Therapy egg shakers, and quiet activities like morning gentle yoga. In addition, ABLE NH sponsored a quiet area in the hotel for anyone to use which was a hit. The Family Support Advisory Committee and coordinators are beginning to plan the 2026 Conference, to be held again at the Grappone Center with Welcome Reception at McAuliffe Shepard Planetarium, likely the last weekend of April 2026. Mark your calendars! If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact your Family Support Coordinator or Family Support Conference staff at fsconference@communitycrossroadsnh.org.

What is a Community Health Worker (CHW)?

CHWs are individuals who work in community health. Some of the titles that fall under the CHW umbrella include; Patient Navigator, Family Health Advocate, Care Coordinator, Community Health Representative, and Outreach Worker.

A CHW is a front-line public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison, link, and intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.

A Community Health Worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy. CHWs provide critical services that bridge the gaps that often lead to an individual needing to return to the hospital or the worsening of their chronic disease.  

Training series developed for Case Managers and Service Coordinators to enhance the experience of individuals receiving home and community-based services (HCBS).

The NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) DHHS training series for Case Managers and Service Coordinators aims to establish a shared understanding and consistency in essential functions and person-centered practices, enhancing the experience of individuals receiving home and community-based services (HCBS) through the Division of Long Term Supports and Services.

This training series was developed through a DHHS contract with the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI), in collaboration with the University of Missouri Institute for Human Development and the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability.

Course content was enriched by contributions from the Bureau of Developmental Services, Bureau of Adult and Aging Services, and informed by input from individuals using HCBS, families, case managers, service coordinators, self-advocates and field experts.

The training series consists of two courses, each featuring several interactive modules. Each module is designed to take about 1 hour to complete, but there’s no time limit. You can start, stop and revisit each module as often as you like. Read more about the training and sign up today!

• Course 1: Foundations for Person-Centered Service Planning, Service Coordination and Case Management
• Course 2: Home and Community Based Services Waivers

Created by the Department of Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, the Healthy Aging Data Report compiles local and statewide data to provide the “big picture” about the health of older adults, creating a powerful tool for social change. The report includes 152 indicators reported across 244 NH community profiles. Community profiles include detailed population characteristics as well as information about community engagement, access to care, wellness and prevention, nutrition/diet, mental health, chronic disease, living with disability, and safety. The data is compiled from various sources including the American Community Survey, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Features of the report include community-level data and state-level comparisons, interactive data maps, rate of change data and identification of disparities in healthy aging. Previous reports have been used as a tool to advocate for, develop and implement age friendly policies and programs including the creation of the NH Senior Ambassadors Program, funding for community-level walk audits, and development of the Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act.

Do you have New Hampshire (NH) Medicaid or support someone who does?

The NH Medicaid program needs to hear from you. Join NH Medicaid’s new Beneficiary Advisory Council (BAC). As a BAC member, you will:

• Meet with NH Medicaid leaders
• Share your experiences and insights
• Help shape policies and improve programs
• Make services better for everyone

Who can apply?

• People enrolled in the NH Medicaid program within the last 3 years.
• Family members or caregivers taking care of someone covered by the NH  Medicaid program within the last 3 years.

To learn more about the BAC:

• Attend an optional virtual meeting. To receive the link, please email: MAC@dhhs.nh.gov

• Send your questions to: MAC@dhhs.nh.gov

To apply now, please visit the NH Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC) webpage.

Gateways Certified Direct Support Professional (CDSP) Program

Gateways Community Services, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, is launching a free Certified Direct Support Professional (CDSP) program to increase the Direct Support Professional (DSP) workforce in New Hampshire's home and community-based settings (HCBS). Funded by a Workforce Recruitment and Retention Strategies Grant from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the program provides a streamlined path for individuals to become certified DSPs.

What sets our program apart is its focus on creating opportunities for a more inclusive and diverse immigrant workforce and for anyone looking to explore a new career or make a career change. We offer a multilingual (English, Spanish, and Portuguese) online curriculum. Additionally, we provide mentors who guide students through the program and offer weekly check-ins to ensure their success and support their progress. 

To learn more about Gateways to DSP Credentialing, please visit our website at www.gatewayscs.org/dspcert and watch the promotional video https://vimeo.com/1029288758 

New Futures Advocacy Training Series

New Futures provides trainings for individuals and organizations who want to advocate for the health and wellbeing of New Hampshire residents. Whether you're a first-time advocate or looking to refresh your skills, these trainings will equip you with the skills to create meaningful change.

The Training Series Includes:

• Advocacy 101 Webinars: Learn how the state legislature works and how to effectively engage.
• Full-Day Advocacy 101 Trainings: Deep dive into advocacy skills, featuring workshops about messaging crafting and a State House tour.
• Budget Process Webinar: Understand the ins and outs of New Hampshire's budget process and the best ways to get involved.

Register for one or more sessions at new-futures.org/trainings.