Children involved in the juvenile justice and child protection systems are among our state's most vulnerable. New Futures champions policies that emphasize trauma-informed, evidence-based, therapeutic care for children and youth.
Why It Matters
Children involved in these systems experience significant adversity, trauma, and loss, and deserve therapeutic, trauma-informed treatment to help mitigate the adverse childhood experiences they have encountered so early in life. Connecting these children with the state’s System of Care will help ensure these children receive appropriate community-based services, which are associated with better mental health outcomes and lower costs to our state.
By the Numbers
1166
total number of children in care outside of their homes (family-like settings, group care, etc.) as of 9/30/23 (monthly update by the Office of the Child Advocate)
17
number of children at the Sununu Youth Services Center in October 2023
$540,000
cost of incarcerating a child in New Hampshire in 2020 (Justice Policy Institute)
Our Impact
In 2023, New Futures worked with a broad coalition of partners to pass legislation that directed the closure of the Sununu Center. In addition, the bill outlined the construction and operation of a replacement facility that emphasizes trauma-informed, evidence-based, therapeutic care in a home-like environment for children.
