Last week, in Nashua, the mother of 3-year-old Brielle Gage was found guilty of beating her to death. In Manchester, another mother stands accused of murdering her 21-month-old daughter, Sadie Willott, who died of blunt impact head injuries. The state’s Division for Children, Youth and Families, charged with protecting children from abuse and neglect, had been involved with both families. Yet, two helpless little girls are gone. Why?
In the aftermath, Gov. Maggie Hassan and the Executive Council committed $223,000 – $96,000 of that in general funds – for a nationally known consulting firm, the Center for the Support of Families, to conduct an independent review of DCYF practices. Since April, the review team has held face-to-face interviews with state child protection workers, court-appointed guardians, foster parents and juveniles in the system. They have pulled 100 DCYF case files at random for review and sent surveys to educators, health care providers, parents and guardians. They were scheduled to meet with the police in Manchester and Nashua to talk about the Willott and Gage cases, and more broadly about DCYF.
The strict confidentiality rules on abuse and neglect cases protect young victims, but that secrecy runs head on into the public’s justifiable demand for more transparency at DCYF. The outside review is a good response, but temporary. Lawmakers should give serious consideration to a proposal for a new Office of the Child Advocate – used successfully in Massachusetts – which would have independent authority to review the child protection system, and enhance public confidence in DCYF.
The state Supreme Court last month opened the door, a crack, on the confidentiality issue, when it cleared the way for public filing of a civil lawsuit against DCYF and others. Details of the child sexual abuse and neglect case underlying the lawsuit must remain confidential, the court said, but the claims of alleged failures by child protective services – including DCYF – can be part of the public record.
Meanwhile, we hope the ongoing outside review generates some honest, independent feedback, especially from the many child-protection workers at DCYF, who are working hard at a very difficult job. We trust the independent review process is far enough away from the governor’s office, and from the Department of Health and Human Services, of which DCYF is a part, to get at the facts, and the truth, whatever that may be.
Most importantly, we expect the reviewers to address the heart of the matter, which DCYF director, Lorraine Bartlett identified in a report in January. New assignments for New Hampshire child protection workers exceed the standard in 20 other states, Bartlett said. She has cited a 17 percent increase in protective investigations in four years, but no increase in staff. Unmanageable caseloads impact child safety, lead to burnout, “decision fatigue” and high staff turnover, which reached 50 percent from 2013-15, she wrote.
“High turnover has significant impact on the agency’s ability to effectively manage the work and caseload, and ultimately sustain best outcomes for children and families,” she said.
The independent review team’s final report is expected before their contract expires on Dec. 31. By that time, Gov. Hassan, who is running for the U.S. Senate, will be on her way out of the State House and a new governor – and Legislature – will be responsible for acting on the review’s findings.
In Tuesday’s primary election, voters will select the Republican and Democratic candidates for the corner office. You don’t need to wait for a report to ask the candidates how they plan to protect New Hampshire’s children from abuse, and neglect, and murder. Find out now for Brielle and Sadie and for the sake of all the other children in this state whose safety is threatened – by their own parents.