(Concord, NH) – Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) is applauding the groundbreaking of Friendship House’s expanded treatment center in Bethlehem. Kuster wrote in support of funding through the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) for the construction of a new 32-bed facility to help expand services at the Friendship House, the North Country’s only short-term residential and outpatient treatment program

“Expanding access to treatment for substance use disorders in the North Country is critical to helping address the opioid epidemic, which is having such a devastating impact on communities in northern New Hampshire and the entire state,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “The dedicated staff at Friendship House are making a real difference in the lives of those seeking treatment for substance misuse and this expanded facility will allow them to reach even more people in need. I’m proud to have supported funding for this project and will continue to advocate on behalf of Friendship House and facilities throughout the Granite State.”

As the co-founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, Kuster has helped lead the fight to address the heroin and opioid crisis at the federal level and in New Hampshire, and she has been an outspoken advocate for the need to support medical, law enforcement, treatment, and recovery efforts. This week, she penned an op-ed with the co-chairs and vice-chairs of the Task Force calling on President Trump to formally declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency.

###