2006 New Hampshire Statutes - Section 169-C:35-a Records Management of Abuse and Neglect Reports.

    I. The department shall retain a screened-out report for one year from the date that the report was screened-out, after which time, the department shall delete or destroy all electronic and paper records of the report. In this section, a ""screened-out report'' is one which the department has determined does not rise to the level of a credible report of abuse or neglect and is not referred for assessment.
    II. The department shall retain an unfounded report for 3 years from the date that the department determined the case to be unfounded, after which time, the department shall delete or destroy all electronic and paper records of the report.
    III. The department shall retain a founded report for 7 years from the date that the petitionee has exhausted or failed to exercise his or her due process right to appeal the department's determination to found the report, after which time, the department shall delete or destroy all electronic and paper records of the report.
    IV. The provisions of paragraph III, which relate to the destruction of the records of founded reports, shall not apply to cases that remain open with the department in excess of 7 years or to adoption records. Upon the closure of a case which has remained open with the department in excess of 7 years, the department shall delete or destroy all electronic and paper records of the report.
    V. Nothing in this section shall prevent the department from retaining generic, non-identifying information which is required for state and federal reporting and management purposes.

Source. 2002, 162:1, eff. Nov. 11, 2002.