1 Department of Health and Human Services, Department Established; Office of the Ombudsman. Amend RSA 126-A:4, III to read as follows:

III. The department shall establish an office of the ombudsman to provide assistance to clients of the department by investigating and resolving complaints regarding any matter within the jurisdiction of the department including services or assistance provided by the department or its contractors. The ombudsman's office may provide mediation or other means for informally resolving complaints. The records of the ombudsman's office shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed without the consent of the client on whose behalf the complaint is made, except as may be necessary to assist the service provider to resolve the complaint, or as required by law.

2 New Subparagraph; Residential Care and Health Facility Licensing; Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities; License Required. Amend RSA 151:2, I by inserting after subparagraph (f) the following new subparagraph:

(g) Outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities, including long-term remission monitoring, medically managed outpatient, intensive outpatient, high-intensity outpatient, partial hospitalization, and medically managed intensive outpatient programs. Impaired driver care management programs under RSA 265-A and nonclinical recovery support services, including but not limited to individual and group recovery coaching and 12-step programs, shall be exempt from licensure.

3 New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services; Position Established; Appropriation. For the biennium ending June 30, 2027, the sum of $211,000 is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of establishing one compliance officer I position to fulfill the requirements of this act. The department of health and human services shall work with the department of administrative services, division of personnel, to determine the appropriate classification in accordance with the personnel classification system and applicable broad group specifications. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. The department of health and human services may accept and expend matching federal funds without prior approval of the fiscal committee of the general court.

4 Effective Date.

I. Section 3 shall take effect July 1, 2025.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

1 Department of Health and Human Services, Department Established; Office of the Ombudsman. Amend RSA 126-A:4, III to read as follows:

III. The department shall establish an office of the ombudsman to provide assistance to clients of the department by investigating and resolving complaints regarding any matter within the jurisdiction of the department including services or assistance provided by the department or its contractors. The ombudsman's office may provide mediation or other means for informally resolving complaints. The records of the ombudsman's office shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed without the consent of the client on whose behalf the complaint is made, except as may be necessary to assist the service provider to resolve the complaint, or as required by law. Subject to available funding, the department shall designate within the office of the ombudsman a behavioral health specialist dedicated solely to investigating and resolving complaints to promote the health, safety, welfare, or civil or human rights of any person receiving the treatment or services of a substance use disorder or mental health treatment facility.

2 New Subparagraph; Residential Care and Health Facility Licensing; Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities; License Required. Amend RSA 151:2, I by inserting after subparagraph (f) the following new subparagraph:

(g) Outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities, including long-term remission monitoring, medically managed outpatient, intensive outpatient, high-intensity outpatient, partial hospitalization, and medically managed intensive outpatient programs. Impaired driver care management programs under RSA 265-A and nonclinical recovery support services, including but not limited to individual and group recovery coaching and 12-step programs, shall be exempt from licensure.

3 New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services; Position Established; Appropriation. For the biennium ending June 30, 2027, the sum of $211,000 is hereby appropriated to the department of health and human services for the purpose of establishing one compliance officer I position to fulfill the requirements of this act. The department of health and human services shall work with the department of administrative services, division of personnel, to determine the appropriate classification in accordance with the personnel classification system and applicable broad group specifications. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. The department of health and human services may accept and expend matching federal funds without prior approval of the fiscal committee of the general court.

4 Effective Date.

I. Section 3 shall take effect July 1, 2025.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.