Sens. Rochefort and Prentiss named to new Developmental Services Oversight Commission

New Hampshire Senate President Sharon Carson appointed Sens. David Rochefort and Suzanne Prentiss to the newly created Developmental Services Oversight Commission.

They’re the first two appointees to the commission, which was established in the wake of a Bulletin investigation on rampant abuse and neglect in New Hampshire’s intellectual and developmental disability care system.

The taxpayer-funded and state-regulated system provides care services to Granite Staters with disabilities like autism or cerebral palsy. In November, the Bulletin uncovered evidence of hundreds of people with disabilities being abused, neglected, and exploited within this system. In response to that reporting, the Legislature enacted Senate Bill 670, which established the commission, among other things.

Rochefort and Prentiss serve as the Senate’s representatives on the commission. Caleb Labbe, communications director for the House of Representatives, said in an email that House Speaker Sherman Packard, who is responsible for selecting two House members to serve on the commission, has identified one of those appointees, a Republican, and is coordinating with Democratic leadership to identify a Democratic appointee. He said the process should be completed soon.

In addition to legislators, the commission will include state officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the system; representatives of the private care agencies that contract with the state; a representative of the Disability Rights Center-New Hampshire; and people with disabilities receiving services and their families.

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The DRC said it’ll be appointing Executive Director Stephanie Patrick and Senior Staff Attorney Francesca Broderick to the commission.

“However, we have not yet determined who will serve as our representative and who will serve as our alternate,” Déodonné Bhattarai, communications director for the DRC, wrote in an email. “We are awaiting notice of the first meeting.”

Gov. Kelly Ayotte is responsible for appointing the people and families receiving services as well as representatives of the private care agencies. The Bulletin has reached out to her office via email asking for an update on her appointment process.

“We are looking forward to hearing who the Governor will be appointing to serve in the seats for people with disabilities and family members as there has been great interest in these positions,” Bhattarai said.