By HFT Staff

Dartmouth Health and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have officially closed on a public-private partnership, making Dartmouth Health solely responsible for the clinical leadership, patient care and operation of Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility (Hampstead). Hampstead is the state’s only acute psychiatric hospital and residential treatment facility for youth and young adults. 

Together, DHHS and Dartmouth Health will work toward building a Children’s Center of Excellence, delivering and expanding access to behavioral health services, providing trauma-informed care and implementing evidence-based practices to ensure the most positive outcomes for children and youth. A key element of Dartmouth Health’s role at Hampstead is training the next generation of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurse practitioners and nurses, which will be accomplished with residency programs and by creating the kind of vibrant learning community that attracts and retains the most talented clinicians and staff. 

The former New Hampshire governor, Chris Sununu, and the New Hampshire Executive Council approved the partnership in December 2024. Under the seven-year agreement, DHHS will lease the facility on the Hampstead campus to Dartmouth Health, which will assume clinical, operational and financial responsibility for Hampstead.