It’s been two years since a much-needed audit of New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth, and Families determined a complete overhaul of the system was desperately needed, so why are there still so many problems? That’s what we, Rob and Kathleen Raskin of Las Vegas, would like to know.
A nine-month review has determined issues such as staff shortages, lack of resources, and inefficient policies are at the root of the problem. Children in the state are being placed in a vulnerable position because this lack of efficiency is leaving them in the system much longer than they should be. There have been increases in funding to add more staff, but it’s simply not enough. This, of course, is due in large part to chronic mismanagement.
Another issue is the increase in children who are being removed from their families. Are more children being abused in New Hampshire now than they were before, or is the increase in placements related to incompetence and corruption? When children and families are at stake, there is no excuse for not making sure there is adequate staff and resources in place. Mistakes in these cases destroy, and sometimes end, lives.
The commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services, Jeffrey Meyers, had this to say of the situation: “While we do not agree with every aspect of the report, we recognize that it is largely informed by the lived experiences of individuals who have experienced different aspects of the system and that those experiences are important.”
Meyers is missing the point, which is that it’s necessary for a third-party to handle the report. These agencies simply cannot be trusted to self-audit, and what the man charged with overseeing the corrupt agency thinks about the validity of the report’s findings is irrelevant.
What is being done for NH foster children?
- The OCA was created to act as a watchdog for the troubled child services agency
- Legislators are being pushed to write RSA 169-C, which is meant to ensure the best interests of the child are always put first.
- Demands are being made to implement better integration of therapeutic services
- Funding is being requested to hire more nurses to oversee cases in which substance abuse problems are involved.
- Demands are being made to reunify more children and their parents.
The children and families of New Hampshire deserve better, and we are here to do our part to make sure that happens. Won’t you join us in our cause?
Former New Hampshire DCYF Worker Shines a Spotlight on Corruption
Attorney Calls for DCYF Reforms
Isn’t gamily is involved with DCYF right now, and have been for the past 21 months, since our 2 and 3 year old were removed from our home. I’ve always heard that DCYF was corrupt….but I never thought it was anything as bad as it actually is. My children beg and cry to come home everyday. I have been in full compliance with my case plan since the beginning of this case in January of 2018. I have all clean drug screens, and have had all clean screens since Jan 2018. DCYF workers lie and twist everything you say to make you look bad, so no matter what you do, you’re wrong and “you should have made a better choice” My case worker lied straight to the judges face at my hearing. I have fixed the issues that were the “reasoning” that my children were removed from home and they are still wanting to terminate my rights because even though my husband is in PRISON for the next 10-20 years (for a matter not connected with dcyf) DCYF says that the children are not safe around me, because they THINK I will “expose” the children to their father (whom they have forced me to divorce in order to get my children back) DCYF employees are evil evil people and I honestly don’t know how they sleep at night. I have my very last hearing on November 14th, and I am praying to God that my babies come home with me where they so desperately long to be, and belong.
My family is involved with DCYF right now, and have been for the past 21 months, since our 3 and 4 year old were removed from our home. I’ve always heard that DCYF was corrupt….but I never thought it was anything as bad as it actually is. My children beg and cry to come home everyday. I have been in full compliance with my case plan since the beginning of this case in January of 2018. I have all clean drug screens, and have had all clean screens since Jan 2018. DCYF workers lie and twist everything you say to make you look bad, so no matter what you do, you’re wrong and “you should have made a better choice” My case worker lied straight to the judges face at my hearing. I have fixed the issues that were the “reasoning” that my children were removed from home and they are still wanting to terminate my rights because even though my husband is in PRISON for the next 10-20 years (for a matter not connected with dcyf) DCYF says that the children are not safe around me, because they THINK I will “expose” the children to their father (whom they have forced me to divorce in order to get my children back) DCYF employees are evil evil people and I honestly don’t know how they sleep at night. I have my very last hearing on November 14th, and I am praying to God that my babies come home with me where they so desperately long to be, and belong.
DCYF took my child and put her in several abusive placements. The parent aide company lied about the services they intended to provide to me, and CASA acted to sabotage me in collusion with a foster parent who lost her license. I will have my rights terminated during Christmas, and that is unacceptable. These people alienated me from my child so badly because I was having symptoms of mental illness that I tried to kill myself because of it. Considering all the trauma I have been through since I moved to NH. I am in recovery and all of this is being used against me. My attorney is Gary Paradis. Please do not respond to me with one sentence if you are going to reject me, and instead offer another option.
As a retired NH DCYF CPSW of 24 yr I can answer your question about whether more children are being abused/neglected now? Under fired former Dir Lorraine Bartlett, NH DCYF ended up having the lowest substantiation rate in the nation. Children were left in dangerous homes. Some died. NH should have roughly the same substantiation rate as the rest of the nation. It is still dangerously low under Dir Joe Ribsam. You and the Governor are 100% correct when you site chronic mismanagement as the overriding cause of this system failure. NH children and families deserve better. Thank you for shining light on this system.