Governor Chris Sununu Statement on Serenity Place

Concord - "I am shocked and saddened by the circumstances at Serenity Place. It is imperative that as we work through this situation, we ensure a continuity of care for those who need services. Our first priority is making certain that those most affected by the opioid crisis do not suffer for the actions of others.

"I commend the Department of Health and Human Services and the Charitable Trusts Unit for initiating a review of Serenity Place operations immediately after uncovering concerning information just a few weeks ago. After a full briefing yesterday on the state of the organization's finances, the Attorney General and I agreed that a receivership is the best way to ensure that there will be no immediate interruption in services while the Charitable Trusts Unit continues its review.

"These developments underscore the need for accountability and transparency in substance use disorder (SUD) programs. We cannot simply spend taxpayer dollars on this problem without knowing where that money is flowing and without a clear plan for measuring outcomes and results. To that end, while the State will continue to provide financial support for these critical programs, we will also continue our work in auditing every program that receives state resources to ensure that these programs have long term stability and ensure sound accounting practices are followed.

"Substance Use Disorder programs are a critical component in our fight against addiction and the opioid crisis, and we must take every possible step to maximize their effectiveness. Our citizens struggling with addiction, and their families and friends, deserve nothing less."