Shaheen Leads Roundtable on Youth Substance Misuse Prevention in Claremont, Visits Hypertherm to Discuss Workforce Development, Continues “Invest in NH Tour” With Visit to Schaefer Center for Health Sciences at Colby-Sawyer College Nursing School

(Claremont, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led a roundtable in Claremont on substance misuse prevention with Youth CAN leadership and community members. She then visited Hypertherm in Lebanon to discuss workforce challenges, housing and child care. Later, Shaheen continued her “Invest in NH Tour” with a visit to the Schaefer Center for Health Sciences at the Colby-Sawyer College Nursing School, which she secured funding to build. Photos from today’s events can be found here.

In Claremont, Shaheen led a roundtable with the Youth CAN coalition leadership team and community partners to discuss the organization’s work to prevent youth substance misuse in the Claremont and Newport area. Youth CAN is part of the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program which provides grants to local community coalitions to address the youth substance use disorder crisis.

“It is crucial that we reach children as early as possible to educate them about the dangers of substance misuse, and one of our most effective tools to do that is the Drug-Free Communities Program, said Senator Shaheen. “I’ve strongly advocated for the program and was happy to meet with Claremont and Newport’s coalition and discuss their critical work to prevent substance misuse.”

Shaheen has spearheaded crucial legislation and funding to stem the opioid epidemic, including to support the DFC Program. Shaheen recently introduced the Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act to establish a new grant program that allows DFC coalitions to partner with schools to provide resources educating students about the dangers of drug use.

Shaheen then visited Hypertherm, an employee-owned manufacturer of cutting products and software, to tour its facility and discuss the company’s in-house technical training program for workforce development, as well as engagement with Vital Communities’ Corporate Council to address regional housing and child care challenges. Vital Communities’ Corporate Council collaborates with Upper Valley employers to help solve the challenges they’re facing.

“Many Granite State businesses, like Hypertherm in Lebanon, face complex barriers to recruiting and retaining a workforce,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to visit Hypertherm to learn more about the manufacturer's innovative approach to workforce development and their collaboration with Vital Communities as well as discuss how Congress can continue help New Hampshire businesses address housing and child care challenges.”

Senator Shaheen has long supported programs that support workforce development and increase opportunities and growth for New Hampshire businesses, including by tackling New Hampshire’s housing affordability crisis and the child care crisis. Recently, Shaheen joined Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su at A Place to Grow to host a roundtable discussion at the facility to discuss the first U.S. Department of Labor approved apprenticeship program for early childhood education operations managers and a new report emphasizing the importance of care workers.

Later, as part of her “Invest in NH Tour”, Shaheen visited the Schaefer Center for Health Sciences at Colby-Sawyer College to discuss its new nursing and health sciences facility, which is funded in part by Congressionally Directed Spending. Shaheen secured $1.5 million in the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding legislation to construct the new building and to help address critical health care workforce needs by training the next generation of nurses.

“As health care workforce shortages continue to impact our state, I was glad to visit and tour the Schaefer Center for Health Sciences at Colby-Sawyer College where they’re training the next generation of nurses,” said Senator Shaheen. “I secured funding to help construct the building and was glad to learn more about how the program is working to fill desperately needed nursing positions in the Granite State.”

Senator Shaheen has spearheaded numerous efforts in the Senate in support of New Hampshire’s health care workforce. During negotiations surrounding the American Rescue Plan Act, Shaheen helped steer efforts to increase funding for the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) to ensure hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers on the frontlines had the support they needed to keep their doors open and continue to care for patients. As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen secured $17,419,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending in the FY 2024 government funding legislation to support health care and education needs in the Granite State.

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