New Hampshire Moves to Tackle Abuse in Disability Care System

New Hampshire’s legislative body is responding to alarming reports of abuse and neglect within the state’s disability care system. State Senator David Rochefort, a Republican from Littleton, announced that he and his colleagues are drafting legislation aimed at addressing these systemic issues. This comes in the wake of a series of investigative articles published by the New Hampshire Bulletin that highlighted disturbing incidents involving caretakers and individuals with disabilities.

The Bulletin’s reporting detailed cases of abuse and neglect, some of which were fatal, and revealed failures in oversight that allowed such incidents to occur. Between January 2023 and June 2025, state records indicate that 467 credible reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation were investigated, resulting in 119 deaths across the system.

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are entitled to state-funded care, managed by the Department of Health and Human Services through its Bureau of Developmental Services. This bureau contracts with ten private agencies responsible for coordinating care throughout New Hampshire.

While examining these troubling reports, the Bulletin spoke to family members of affected individuals, their legal representatives, and community advocates. Senator Rochefort, who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, expressed his concern over the findings, stating, “I don’t think there’s any opposition to making change here. I think there’s a real desire to do something now from everyone involved.”

Support for legislative reform appears to be bipartisan, with senators from both parties expressing their willingness to act. Rochefort emphasized that prompt action is necessary, saying, “Nobody wants to kick the can here.”

The proposed bill aims to enhance oversight and improve data sharing within the disability care system. Rochefort explained that the new framework would allow data to be shared automatically, improving the state’s ability to respond to complaints and address issues more effectively.

Additionally, the bill seeks to amend the composition of the Incapacitated and Vulnerable Adults Fatality Review Committee. This committee is responsible for reviewing concerning deaths and making recommendations aimed at preventing similar occurrences in the future. Rochefort noted that the changes would promote “better representation of the communities affected and the people that would actually be able to affect change.”

The Bulletin previously reported on the tragic death of Stephen Weidlich Jr., who had physical and developmental disabilities and was found deceased behind the care home where he lived. Another case involved Christine Marie Bill, a woman with disabilities who died after overheating in a sealed car in July 2019. Both incidents went unreported to the fatality review committee, as revealed by its co-chairs, Vanessa Blais and Francesca Broderick, prior to the Bulletin’s exposé.

With public and legislative attention now focused on these issues, New Hampshire is poised to implement significant reforms aimed at safeguarding the rights and well-being of individuals with disabilities in the state.