Opening care to more families
As lawmakers consider SB 498, I want them to understand one simple truth: families with private insurance deserve access to wraparound mental health support, too.
I know this both personally and professionally. As a former FAST Forward wraparound family and family peer support provider, I have seen just how powerful these services can be. Wraparound saved my family’s life.
It helped us build community, learn skills together and get support in a way that worked for our family instead of forcing us into a one-size-fits-all system. It gave me independence for the first time in my life.
But I have also seen families with private insurance face even more barriers when trying to access this kind of care. More hoops. More delays. More stress. And sometimes, no access at all.
That makes no sense. If a child or family qualifies for wraparound services, their needs are already serious and complex. They need support, not roadblocks.
Every family deserves the chance to access care that helps them stay together, stabilize and thrive. That should not depend on whether they have Medicaid or private insurance.
SB 498 is an important step toward closing that gap. New Hampshire families should not have to wait until they are in a deeper crisis to get the support they need.