Congratulations Courtney!

We are so excited to announce Courtney Faison as Community Bridges' new Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Alliances.

Courtney has been with Community Bridges for six years in various roles, overseeing Intake and the Family Support department. Courtney also supported the Family Support Council by serving as the liaison for the organization.

We are excited about Courtney's new role and the great things she will do!

Community Integration/Recreation Services (HB 1593)

Last Wednesday, the Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs committee conducted a public hearing on HB 1593 . Several people testified, and many more signed in remotely to support the legislation. The Department of Health and Human Services provided some comments but was neutral on the bill. The bill specifically states that the new fund shall provide community integration and recreation services excluded from the Medicaid program. The bill contains a general fund appropriation of $1 million in FY25 for deposit into the fund. The bill was considered in the executive session on January 18th and narrowly avoided ITL, terminating the bill. The committee ultimately decided to take no action and will consider the bill again on February 14th.

Other High Priority Bills:

HB 608 Title: establishing a pilot program to support the Bureau of Developmental Services redesign. Action: Jan 03, 2024: Refer for Interim Study

HB 1168 Title: establishing a committee to study the impact of the housing crisis on people with disabilities. Action: Jan 03, 2024:referred to a Special Committee on Housing

HB 1291 Title: relative to accessory dwelling unit uses allowed by right. Action: Jan 03, 2024:referred to a Special Committee on Housing

*SB 353 Title: relative to insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome. Action: Public Hearing Jan. 24, 2024 at 9:20 a.m. Location: Legislative Office Building Time: 9:20 a.m.

SB 408 Title: establishing a committee to study the effects of the housing crisis on the disability community. Action: Jan 03, 2024: referred to Health and Human Services

*HB 1553 Title: relative to establishing a pilot program under the Department of Education to offer "spelling to communicate" services to students with autism or apraxia. Action: Public Hearing Jan. 22, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. Location: Legislative Office Building Time: 9:30 a.m.

Visit www.communitybridgesnh.org/get-involved/priority-bills to see what other legislation we are following.

Join the team!

Join us in helping people with disabilities identify and pursue their most meaningful lives by providing services and resources that navigate obstacles to accessing communities and accomplishing goals.

We are dedicated to supporting people with disabilities throughout life, from infants in Early Support Services to elders, and are looking to fill positions throughout the organization.

Check out our available positions and apply!

Join the Human Rights Committee.

We are looking for volunteers dedicated to safeguarding the human rights of people experiencing developmental disabilities who require more intensive support to obtain personal success.

The invitation to join is open to community members with lived experiences and professionals in related fields such as medical health, education, public service, and safety. We aim to attract people from various backgrounds who can offer diverse perspectives and insight while maintaining a willingness to learn. Committee members are expected to commit approximately 8 to 12 hours a month, depending on the needs of the people being served.

For more information and to learn how to get involved, please get in touch with Meredith Leavitt, Behavioral Treatment Specialist, at mleavitt@cbinnh.org.

Become a member of the Family Support Council.

The Family Support Council is looking for families and supported community members willing to lend their voices, perspectives, and innovative ideas to support better family engagement as a council member.

If you are interested, please contact either Melanie or Erica to learn how to get involved.

Be sure to check out the FAQ!

Hear My Voice

Hear My Voice Self‐Advocacy group is an opportunity for young adults 16‐23 to meet monthly and discuss an array of topics, including rights and responsibilities as citizens of New Hampshire and the disability community. The group works to understand the legislative and political process, such as voting rights, and how to self-advocate in a constructive way.

If you are interested in participating, please contact your service coordinator.

Concord Self Advocates

The Concord NH Self Advocates is a group of adult self-advocates who are ready to plan for the next steps toward their best lives. They come together to think about life goals, plan alongside others, and support each other along the way. Thinking beyond personal lives and experiences and including others.

Our motto is Ourselves, Our Group, Our Community.

To learn more and get involved, click on the link.

Learn more about the Concord NH Self Advocates.

Hannaford is helping out!

You can too

The Hannaford Store Leadership Team has selected Community Bridges as the January 2024 Nonprofit Partner for the Community Bag Program at:

Hannaford on

73 Fort Eddy Road, Concord, NH

This means that for every $2.50 reusable Community Bag sold during January 2024, Hannaford will donate $1.00 to Community Bridges.

Community Bags are usually found near the customer service counter. If you have difficulty locating them, please ask for assistance; Hannaford brand-only bags are not part of the benefit program.

Only bags sold at the Fort Eddy Road location will benefit

Community Bridges.

New Hampshire Direct Care Workers:

Share Your COVID-19 Experiences with UNH Researchers

The Institute on Disability invites you to share your work experiences in a UNH research study survey if you provided services as a Direct Care Worker in New Hampshire during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In gratitude for your participation, you will be entered into a gift card drawing after completing the survey. For every 50 completed surveys, the IOD will conduct five drawings, and each drawing will generate one winner of a $50 gift card.

The survey will be live until January 31, 2024. It should take about 15 minutes to complete.

You can either click the button or use the QR code below to access the survey:

Take the Survey