DHHS hopes to use federal funds to improve state hospitals after fatal shooting • New Hampshire Bulletin

The Department of Health and Human Services hopes to use nearly $12.4 million in federal funds to address security deficiencies revealed in the fatal shooting of a state hospital security guard in November and to build a new forensic hospital.

Proposed security improvements include installing cameras in areas not currently monitored and upgrading the outdated public address system. In their Financing request Commissioner Lori Weaver told the Executive Board that communications skills throughout the hospital were “poor” following the Nov. 17 shooting.

“The inadequacy of the system poses significant safety risks to patients and staff,” Weaver wrote.

The new system will include loudspeakers in all hallways, offices and conference rooms, Weaver wrote, so all employees can hear emergency announcements and take appropriate action in a timely manner to mitigate risks.

The legislature's Joint Budget Committee approved Weaver's request earlier this month, but the department also needs approval from the Executive Council, which is expected to consider the matter on Friday.

On Friday, the Attorney General’s Office published its 44-page investigation report of the incident in which former patient John Madore, 33, shot security guard Bradley Haas, 63, who was unarmed per hospital policy. State Trooper Nathan Sleight, stationed at the hospital, responded and shot Madore.

The Attorney General's Office concluded that Sleight's use of deadly force was justified because Madore continued to shoot Haas after striking him and ignored Sleight's requests to drop his weapon.

Weaver's staff is working with the security agency to deploy armed security on hospital grounds.

The new forensic hospitalscheduled for completion next year, will place new demands on the state hospital's kitchen, Weaver told councilors. The federal money will be used to build a new kitchen in both facilities' forensic hospital.

The 24-bed forensic security hospital treats patients who are currently incarcerated in state prison and have committed a crime but cannot stand trial due to mental illness; who were found not guilty at trial due to their illness; and people who have not broken the law but are too dangerous to be treated in a conventional facility such as the state hospital.