New Hampshire

Facilities in New Hampshire

Residential facilities providing religious, behavioral, and mental health treatment to children exist in all 50 states. Some of these facilities are known to be part of the Troubled Teen Industry, while others have not yet been verified. Any facility where children live and receive care requires additional oversight. This directory helps communities monitor local programs and advocate for accountability.

Reporting abuse in New Hampshire

New Hampshire has a Special Investigations Unit that exists to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect in institutional settings and residential facilities, rather than leaving them to an ordinary district office. It also has an Office of the Child Advocate whose remit expressly covers any organisation certified or contracted to provide direct services to children - which means the residential facilities themselves, not only the state agency.

Time limits in New Hampshire: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Three years for all personal injury claims, including assault, battery, false imprisonment and negligence. If you could not reasonably have discovered the injury and its cause at the time, the three years run from when you did or should have. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 508:4, I
If it happened before you turned 18: Less certain Yes. Someone hurt as a child may sue within two years after turning 18 (so by age 20), or within the normal three years from the injury if that is later. The general discovery rule in 508:4 also applies. No special extended period for physical (non-sexual) child abuse. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 508:8
If the program was run by or for the government: State of New Hampshire: sue within three years of the injury and give written notice to the agency within 180 days (late notice does not bar the claim unless the state shows it was substantially prejudiced). Towns, cities and counties: three years, with notice to the clerk by registered mail within 60 days. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 541-B:14, IV (state); 507-B:7 (governmental units)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no SOL for incest and sexual assault of minors against any defendants and there is a permanent revival window for expired claims. The remaining claims have an SOL of age 30. Trafficking: The SOL for trafficking claims is age 28 or 10 years after release from the trafficking situation, whichever is later. CSAM: The SOL for CSAM claims is age 20. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: Six years from the offense for felony physical abuse of a child (charged as second-degree assault, which includes knowingly injuring a child under 13). Endangering the welfare of a child is usually a misdemeanor: one year. The clock does not pause until 18 for physical abuse; the 22-years-after-18 rule is for sexual offenses and incest only. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 625:8, I(a)-(c); offenses 631:2, I(d) and 639:3
Assault: Six years from the offense for felony assault (first- or second-degree assault). Misdemeanor (simple) assault: one year. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 625:8, I; assault offenses 631:1, 631:2, 631:2-a
Child sexual abuse: CSA: The SOL is age 40 for sexual assault and incest, age 24 for other felonies, and age 19 for misdemeanors. Trafficking: The SOL is age 38 for trafficking offenses. CSAM: The SOL for CSAM violations is 6 years from the offense. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. "Less certain" marks a line where the law is unclear or where our reading has not been confirmed, so please treat it with extra care. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice

Multiple professions

Licenses and regulates New Hampshire's mental health professionals and disciplines them. It treats a communication about alleged misconduct as a complaint where, if true, the conduct could breach the ethical codes, the administrative rules or the law. It publishes its board actions.

Use this whenA licensed mental health professional in New Hampshire. Psychologists have their own board under the same Office of Professional Licensure and Certification.

HowFile through the Board's complaints page.

New Hampshire's online licence verification shows a licensee's current status and its disciplinary documents, so you can check what has already been found against them.

New Hampshire Board of Psychologists

Psychologist

Regulates and licenses the psychology profession in New Hampshire and disciplines its licensees.

Use this whenA licensed psychologist.

HowFile through the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification.

File a complaint

The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

New Hampshire DHHS residential child care licensing

Licenses New Hampshire's residential child care facilities under the He-C 4001 rules and enforces them, including the requirement that facilities report suspected abuse themselves.

Use this whenA licensed residential child care facility.

HowContact DHHS through its DCYF contact directory.

1-800-894-5533 The DCYF line is the reporting route facilities themselves are required to use.
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Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

New Hampshire DCYF child abuse and neglect hotline

The statewide report line, staffed 24 hours a day including weekends and holidays. Allegations arising in foster homes, institutional settings and residential facilities go to a Special Investigations Unit rather than to a district office.

Use this whenA child at a New Hampshire program. Residential child care facilities are themselves required to report suspected abuse to this number.

HowCall.

1-800-894-5533 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
File a complaint
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Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

New Hampshire Office of the Child Advocate

An independent office reviewing complaints about children currently or previously involved with the state's child-serving agencies, and expressly about any organisation certified or contracted to provide direct services to children and families - residential facilities included.

Use this whenA young person who has been through a New Hampshire residential facility or the state system, whether or not they are still in it.

HowContact the office directly.

File a complaint

Disability Rights Center - New Hampshire

New Hampshire's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities, a right of access to them, and free legal advocacy.

Use this whenA New Hampshire program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line.

1-800-834-1721 Voice and TTY. Main line 603-228-0432.
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National reporting channels, and the same list for other states