The Executive Council approved a temporary pay raise this week for staff at the state-run youth detention center. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services says it hopes the pay raises will help with severe staffing shortages.
In July, the state Attorney General’s office said in a report that insufficient staffing was contributing to chronic dysfunction at the facility.
Youth counselors and juvenile probation officers are forced to work overtime to cover vacancies at the Sununu Youth Services Center. That’s creating safety concerns, according to state Health Commissioner Lori Weaver, whose agency oversees the facility.
Last week, a state trooper and juvenile were injured during an incident at the facility. State troopers have been stationed at the Sununu Center since June due to staffing shortages.
In the request, the department said: “The goal of the temporary recruitment and retention wage enhancement is to attract and retain the minimum staffing levels necessary to protect the safety and well-being of both the youth served by the Sununu Youth Services Center (SYSC) and the employees responsible for their care, treatment, supervision, and community support.”
The Executive Council approved a 5% pay raise for center staff for one year. It will cost the state about $1 million.
Weaver said her agency may need to ask the Legislature to make raises permanent or find another way to keep the facility fully staffed.
The Sununu Center has been under increased scrutiny this year, following injuries to staff and youth and the alleged use of illegal restraints.
In March, the Office of the Child Advocate, under former state child advocate Cassandra Sanchez, released a report alleging abuse and dysfunction, leading to multiple investigations by state and independent agencies.
Earlier this week, the state health department announced that it hired an independent investigator to assess operations and programming at the Sununu Center, and plans to begin piloting the use of body-worn cameras for staff this week.
