Disability Rights Center-NH Launches New Disability Facility Hub

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7th, 2025

Disability Rights Center-NH Launches New Disability Facility Hub
Your rights explained. The system simplified. All in one, accessible place.

Concord, NH – Today, Disability Rights Center-NH (DRC-NH) launched The Disability Facility Hub, a new, user-friendly, searchable tool that brings long-overdue transparency to New Hampshire’s congregate care system.

The Disability Facility Hub gives individuals with disabilities, caregivers, advocates, and lawmakers easy access to key information about residential facilities across the state—including populations served, legal protections available to residents, and police reports filed.

“Since the closure of the Laconia State School, New Hampshire has been recognized as a leader in ending institutionalization for people with disabilities,” said Stephanie Patrick, Executive Director of DRC-NH. “However, the reality is that many of today’s congregate care settings still have institutional-like conditions where people with disabilities face abuse, neglect, exploitation, and isolation. The Disability Facility Hub is a step toward accountability and empowerment.”

For too long, accessing meaningful data on facility conditions has been difficult, leaving individuals, families, and policymakers without the tools needed to make informed choices or pursue systemic improvements. The Disability Facility Hub addresses that gap by providing:

• Easy-to-understand information about each facility, including how many people it serves, photos, licensing lookup, and past reports (including police involvement).
• Clear explanations of the rights and legal protections residents have—customized for each facility.
• Resources and data for advocates and policymakers to inform meaningful changes statewide.

The Disability Facility Hub – made possible with support from the NH Bar Foundation – is now live and available to the public at: drcnh.org/facility-hub.

DRC-NH is New Hampshire’s designated Protection and Advocacy agency and protects, advances, and strengthens the legal rights and advocacy interests of all people with disabilities. More information about DRC-NH can be found at http://www.drcnh.org.