NH Committee Recommends Overhaul of Disability Abuse Reporting System
New Hampshire's System Review Committee finalized recommendations to reform the state's oversight of developmental disability care, following a Bulletin investigation that found hundreds of abuse and neglect incidents in the taxpayer-funded, privately-run care network. Key proposals include a centralized complaint intake system, a single designated lead agency for investigations, a 24/7 reporting hotline, a new 'inconclusive' finding category for investigators, a public education campaign on reporting obligations, and unannounced facility visits. The recommendations target the state Department of Health and Human Services, which currently splits oversight across multiple siloed offices including Medicaid Program Quality, Adult Protective Services, and Licensing and Certification. No implementation timeline was specified in the recommendations released Thursday.
State Medicaid officials overseeing developmental disability services face pressure to consolidate fragmented oversight and reporting systems that the committee found allowed abuse and neglect to go undetected or poorly investigated.
LTSS
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