Gov. Chris Sununu told reporters state officials have aggressively responded to a spike of violent incidents at Hampstead Hospital Residential Treatment facility. He's hopeful the spike has 'stabilized,' while admitting state employee staff concerns about private management of the facility were 'valid.'
Gov. Chris Sununu told reporters state officials have aggressively responded to a spike of violent incidents at Hampstead Hospital Residential Treatment facility. He's hopeful the spike has 'stabilized,' while admitting state employee staff concerns about private management of the facility were 'valid.'
CONCORD — State officials announced that after a brief pause, they were accepting new admissions at Hampstead Hospital Residential Treatment Facility and meetings between staff and public safety executives should help bring an end to a spike of violent incidents at the youth psychiatric complex.
Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver said since the state’s $13 million purchase of the building in June 2022 it has been housing youth that pose much greater risks than had been on site in the past.
This is the state’s first effort to create a center of excellence for the care of children with mental health challenges, she stressed.
“There is going to be some rockiness to our operations and some adjustments,” Weaver told the Executive Council.
“It’s not something we want, but something we adjust to, and we move forward.”
Since reopening admissions over a week ago, the census at Hampstead has gone from 30 to 37 residents while the number of juveniles waiting in hospital emergency rooms for a placement has declined from 14 to 7 statewide, Weaver said.
Gov. Chris Sununu said much of the recent increase in incidents was tied to a single resident, and he insisted the complex was safe and well run.
“I think they are doing a very good job down there, I really do,” Sununu said.
Later he added, “My sense is it is going to stabilize, and we are going to continue to work with it.”
Sununu did say concerns that workers raised about Wellpath Recovery Solutions, the private company managing the facility, were “valid.”
Executive Councilor Janet Stevens, R-Rye, accused Wellpath of underestimating the number of violent incidents that she said have overrun staffing by the local police and fire departments in town.
“Wellpath has failed to have acknowledged the demands they put on local public safety agencies,” Stevens said.
HHS Deputy Secretary Morissa Henn said the department has reviewed the incident reports and found Wellpoint to be “in compliance” with its contract.
“It is safe and good care is being provided right now and we are addressing the vendor,” Henn said. “We are going to be out of this rocky period soon.”
Henn said a recent meeting with local, county and state public safety officials has also helped create a better working relationship.
“We are moving forward to reduce our need to call you,” Henn said she told first responders.
