Examining Preventable Deaths in the NH Developmental Services System

In 2009 and 2010, DRC investigated the deaths of two individuals who were served by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services/Area Agencies. DRC found that these deaths were preventable. DRC also reviewed the circumstances of four earlier deaths and found that they were caused by the same or similar failures on multiple levels. Moreover, most if not all of the contributing factors to these two recent deaths have been the subject of repeated findings and recommendations of prior government reports. However, most of the critical recommendations have gone unimplemented. DRC released a white paper examining the deaths and making recommendations for change. In this video, DRC Executive Director Richard Cohen discusses the white paper with host Cindy Robertson.