The New Hampshire Needs Caregivers Act aims to tackle the health care workforce crisis in the state by enhancing access to primary health care services and bolstering recruitment and retention efforts within the health care sector. The bill mandates the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to amend its contract with the Bi-State Primary Care Association to create a Public-Private Health Care Workforce Recruitment and Retention Hub. This hub will facilitate collaboration among various health care services and develop programs that support nursing preceptor and mentoring initiatives, as well as provide training, technical assistance, and loan repayment opportunities for health care professionals. The bill also includes appropriations totaling over $3 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to support these initiatives.

In addition to workforce development, the bill allocates significant funding for opioid treatment programs, with $2 million designated for both FY 2026 and FY 2027 to increase rates for providers serving the traditional Medicaid population and the Granite Advantage Program population. The DHHS is authorized to accept and expend any available federal funds for these initiatives without prior approval from the fiscal committee. The total appropriations for the bill amount to $4,748,500 for FY 2026 and $4,998,500 for FY 2027, emphasizing the importance of leveraging both state and private funding to ensure the sustainability of health care services in New Hampshire. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.