Shaheen Discusses New Hampshire’s Child Care Crisis in Merrimack; Highlights Trump’s Dangerous Staffing Cuts at Head Start and Fuel Assistance Programs; Concludes “Medicaid Impact Tour,” Holds Roundtable on Trump’s HHS Cuts at NAMI in Concord

(Concord, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch to discuss New Hampshire’s child care crisis. She then toured Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties’ (CAPHR) Opportunity Center in Manchester to highlight the Trump administration’s dangerous staffing cuts at Head Start and the Low Income Home Energy Program (LIHEAP). Later, Shaheen concluded her weeklong “Medicaid Impact Tour” and underscored the negative impact of $80 million in federal funding cuts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by holding a roundtable at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Concord. Photos from today’s events can be found here.

At the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch, Shaheen highlighted the Granite State’s child care crisis and shortage of providers. She also toured the YMCA’s child care facility and heard firsthand from providers and leadership about the challenges they face and efforts to expand their reach in the community and to local businesses.

“Affordable, reliable child care is simply out of reach for far too many Granite State parents – options are limited at best and nonexistent at worst for countless families across the state – and this squeezes already tight family budgets,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to see firsthand the YMCA of Greater Nashua’s Merrimack Branch’s hard work to provide affordable child care services and to discuss some of the legislation I’ve championed that would help them and other New Hampshire child care providers expand their reach and address staffing shortages. I’m focused in the Senate on concrete ways that we can bring down the cost of living and give working families more breathing room.”

Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more affordable and accessible child care. At the YMCA, Shaheen highlighted her recent legislative efforts, including introducing the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act—bipartisan, bicameral legislation that together form a bold proposal to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. She also discussed the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act that would permanently expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC).

In Manchester, Shaheen visited and toured CAPHR’s new Opportunity Center. CAPHR provides Granite Staters and their families with access to services and programs like LIHEAP and Head Start. Shaheen also led a discussion with CAPHR leadership on the negative impact of the Trump administration’s recent cuts to staff that manage these two programs.

“I'm alarmed by Trump’s mass firings of federal employees who administer Head Start as well as staff who manage LIHEAP, and I’m worried about what that might mean for the Granite Staters who CAPHR serves,” said Senator Shaheen. “CAPHR relies on support from federal staff to keep programs that bring child care within reach for working families and those that help folks access critical fuel assistance—eliminating these programs isn’t an option. Why are Trump and Congressional Republicans trying to pass a massive tax cut for the wealthy even as they target these vital services for children and working families?”

Shaheen’s visit came as the Trump administration considers eliminating funding for Head Start and LIHEAP altogether—a move that would be devastating for the more than 30,000 Granite Staters who rely on LIHEAP for heating assistance and the many New Hampshire families who benefit from Head Start. Shaheen has been vocal in her calls for the Trump administration to reverse course on mass firings of federal employees responsible for administering both Head Start and LIHEAP.

Then in Concord, Shaheen led a roundtable discussion at NAMI to hear from health care leaders about the harmful consequences of the Trump administration’s decision to cut more than $80 million in federal funding from HHS that New Hampshire relies on to help communities address the substance use disorder and mental health crises.

“NAMI does tremendous work to help Granite Staters struggling with mental illness and substance use disorder– and still, they’re being affected by President Trump’s reckless, haphazard cuts to life-saving health services,” said Senator Shaheen. “Medicaid is the single largest payer for treatment of opioid and substance use disorders, so in addition to being hurt by Trump’s $80 million cut in HHS funding, folks who NAMI serve now also have to worry about their Medicaid benefits being cut down to nothing. We won’t stand for it.”

Senator Shaheen has led efforts to address the substance use and mental health crises. Earlier this month, Shaheen led the New Hampshire Congressional delegation in calling on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to immediately restore these funds to the Granite State. Shaheen has also been vocal in her disapproval of the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS Secretary, including delivering remarks in opposition to his nomination on the Senate floor. Shaheen recently called on the Secretary to reverse drastic funding cuts to the Affordable Care Act Navigator program, which helps Americans access quality, affordable health insurance coverage, including for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

The roundtable was also the conclusion of Shaheen’s weeklong “Medicaid Impact Tour.” Medicaid is the single largest payer for treatment of opioid and substance use disorder and many of the Granite Staters served by NAMI would face benefit cuts if Republicans were to make drastic cuts to Medicaid. Shaheen’s “Medicaid Impact Tour” included a roundtable on rural health in Berlin, a roundtable at the Public Partnership for Health in Laconia and a visit to Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont.

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