The New Hampshire House voted to eliminate the Office of the Child Advocate, created to prevent child tragedies like Elijah Lewis’s death. Critics cite cost; supporters stress its vital oversight role.
Children & Families
Many New Hampshire kids with serious mental health issues are sent out of state due to lack of local care. Families face long waits, trauma, and tough choices with limited in-home or community support.
For kids in state custody like Brie Lamarche, New Hampshire’s strained foster care system can lead to placements thousands of miles from home.
While the state Department of Education has made trainings and tools available, researchers say it needs to do more to help districts use them.
“The system is not set up for us,” says Essence Graves, a longtime social worker.
The Office of the Child Advocate has served as a critical eye over care for children in New Hampshire since it was created in 2018.
From 2011–2021, 300,000+ kids lost a parent to overdoses. Despite billions in opioid settlements, grandparents caring for them receive little support.
Without support, children who lose a parent or caregiver are at risk of developing lasting problems with depression, lower academic achievement, and behavioral issues.
A New Hampshire family struggled to find local mental health care for their daughter, leading to years of out-of-state residential programs. Gaps in services left them with no other choice.
The severity of youth mental health needs intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic, with more children exhibiting extreme behaviors.