More than two dozen changes to the state’s youth detention center would bring sweeping changes and needed reform, according to a report by a legislative committee tasked with investigating potentially improper restraint and seclusion practices at the facility.
The recommendations, if implemented, would involve an overhaul of nearly every aspect of the facility.
The group is calling for increased oversight, an immediate prohibition on strip searches, the establishment of a special education program within the facility, and the addition of security cameras with audio recording capabilities.
Members of the ad-hoc committee formed by the Oversight Commission on Children’s Services also expressed a lack of confidence in Marie Noonan, the director of the Division for Children, Youth and Families.
“The current work environment and overall climate in the building that has led to low morale is a direct result of DCYF leadership,” the committee, which was led by Republican Sen. Victoria Sullivan, wrote in its report.
The bureau chief of the Sununu Youth Services Center, Joshua Nye, resigned on Wednesday after just four months leading the facility.
The committee called for DCYF — the entity that runs the facility — to be separated from its parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services.
“We are reviewing the oversight committee’s report and will have further response at next Friday’s oversight committee meeting, as well as following the conclusion of the attorney general’s investigation,” Jake Leon, the spokesperson for the department, wrote in a statement.
“DHHS is committed to the safety and well-being of both the youth and staff at SYSC and has cooperated fully with all review processes,” he added. “We will continue working with all stakeholders involved to strengthen safety, accountability, staffing, and operations at the facility.”
The report focused on allegations that have arisen publicly since March, when the Office of the Child Advocate reported concerns about the use of physical restraints on children, a weeks-long restriction on the children’s movement and limited educational instruction.
In addition to the legislative committee, three other organizations or agencies are conducting investigations. Their reviews remain ongoing.
Read the committee’s report here:
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a statement from a DHHS spokesperson.
