In December 2016, an audit of DCYF and New Hampshire’s child protection crisis was released. Since then, Gov. Chris Sununu has made two budget proposals, and those proposals did not adequately respond to the audit. Meanwhile, child protection caseloads continued to rise, the serious opioid epidemic in New Hampshire added to the problem, and more and more audits and assessments showed New Hampshire is failing to protect its children.
However, that is about to change. It is changing with the budget the Senate Democrats just passed. No budget has done more to fulfill the foundational recommendations of these audits, or has done more for child protection and child safety, than this budget. It is the first serious budget proposal on child safety and child protection since the glaring audit of December 2016.
It does a number of critical things. Here are some highlights.
First, it finally funds the number of caseworkers and supervisors necessary to bring child protection caseloads in line with national standards (New Hampshire’s caseloads were four times what they should be).
Second, it funds supporting personnel, including attorneys, nurses, clerical staff and program specialists.
Third, it funds the prevention programming necessary in our communities, including our family resource centers, the parental assistance program and voluntary services.
Finally, it funds a comprehensive children’s system of care, including statewide mobile crisis response and care for our children, which is also a key component of the 10-year mental health plan.
The latter will not only help children with the right services at the right time, it will reduce pressure on our schools, reduce special education costs and reduce child protection costs down the road.
Overall, there is always more work to do, and we must ensure these measures are fully implemented and our DCYF staff are supported. It is my hope that the House and the governor will concur with the child safety and child protection measures that the Senate incorporated into its budget. Our children, families and our taxpayers deserve no less.
(Lawrence Shulman, professor and dean emeritus of the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, is a member of the New Hampshire DCYF Advisory Board.)