NFI North - Tara MacKillup - 5-11-26

Tara MacKillup is here from NFI North.  Tara introduced her organization, which began in Massachusetts in 1974 and expanded to New Hampshire in 1992. The agency was founded with the mission of helping people with mental illness transition out of institutions and receive community-based care at home.  Tara explained NFI North's mission to provide community-based residential treatment for adults with mental illness, operating two five-bed programs in Newport and preparing to open a 16-bed program soon. She discussed how the organization aims to move people out of institutional settings and into community living, noting that while attitudes toward mental health have improved since the 1970s, stigma still exists. Tara emphasized that many people with mental illness can live and work in the community when properly supported and medicated.  Tara discussed an upcoming job fair at the CoWorks office in Newport on Thursday from 11 AM to 4 PM, where NFI North will be recruiting for various positions including management, clinicians, direct service roles, and nursing. The organization offers competitive benefits including medical, dental, vision insurance, domestic partner coverage, and paid time off, and has been voted the best place to work in New Hampshire and Maine for five consecutive years. Tara explained that NFI North operates residential treatment programs across the state, including Newport, Boscawen, Concord, and soon Nashua, with a focus on providing wraparound services for adults, youth, and families.