Despite a push from all sides, New Hampshire’s child protection agency is still struggling to correct staffing issues and case backlogs.
The state’s Division for Children, Youth and Families is overdue on nearly 3,000 open abuse and neglect investigations. And according to media reports, DCYF presented disappointing progress to lawmakers Wednesday.
Weeks ago, the agency announced a plan to invest in overtime for staff – an attempt to address the growing backlog of cases. That initiative has yet to start. In the meantime, turnover is high, and many case worker positions remain unfilled.
DCYF is currently under an interim director. The state is still in the process of securing permanent leadership for the agency.