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Child Advocate warns office would be eliminated under House budget; staff carry high caseloads and review restraint/seclusion incidents
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Summary
The Office of the Child Advocate told the Senate the House draft eliminates the office and its statutory positions; the office said staff manage high caseloads, conduct facility visits and review every restraint and seclusion report.
Cassandra Sanchez, state Child Advocate, and Associate Child Advocate Lisonbee Masio told the committee the Office of the Child Advocate is an independent oversight agency that reviews restraint and seclusion of children in care, visits residential and detention facilities, and handles increasing numbers of inquiries.
Office role and workload: Sanchez said the office oversees child-serving executive-branch agencies and contractors providing care. "We also go and spend time on the road visiting with children, particularly those placed in residential facilities and youth detention centers," she said. The office monitors critical incidents and conducts independent reviews; the materials show open caseloads of up to 50 matters per staff member and rising volumes.
Budget threat: Sanchez said the House budget would eliminate the office and strike its positions from statute. She described a tight operating budget dominated by salaries and benefits and said recent unfunding of an office coordinator reduced operating flexibility. "In the house budget we have been eliminated completely as an office as well as, in house bill 1 striking each position under the office statute," Sanchez said.
Illustrative case work: Sanchez described a case in which the office intervened on children placed out of state and advocated for returning those children to placements that complied with New Hampshire law and certification rules. She said the office's work includes systemic follow-up when repeated incidents point to broader quality issues.
Ending note: The office asked the committee to preserve funding and highlighted that its small team provides independent oversight and casework that state agencies, families and courts use to ensure children's safety in congregate care. No formal vote occurred.
