New Hampshire's area agencies have the primary regional responsibility of serving individuals who have a developmental disability or acquired brain disorder and their families.  Although on-going assessments of various aspects of area agency services are routinely done, once every five years a comprehensive evaluation is completed by the State's Bureau of Developmental Services through a process called "redesignation."  This review of area agencies is required by state regulation and is intended to determine how well the area agencies are meeting their responsibilities. 

The redesignation review of an area agency is carried out by a team of Bureau staff.  In assessing the area agency performance, the teams consider information from a number of sources.  Input from a variety of stakeholders, such as individuals with disabilities, guardians, families, providers, staff members, Board of Directors, is solicited.  These comments from the consumers and participants of the local service system represent a very important facet of the redesignation findings.  In addition, the results of many statewide surveys, interviews and reviews that are completed regularly out side of the redesignation process are incorporated into a final report which is submitted at the end of the redesignation process.  [These reports are public documents; so, anyone who is interested in the report may download it, or request a copy from the area agency or the Bureau.]

The criteria used for evaluating area agencies during redesignation have been adopted from the indicators listed in state rule He-M 505.  Eight quality indicators form the basis for the review and agencies are evaluated on how well they are meeting these indicators. Recognitions of achievement, as well as recommendations for improvement, are included in each redesignation report.

The redesignation review of an area agency culminates in a decision about whether a particular area agency should be redesignated, conditionally redesignated or de-designated.  The team that is responsible for the review makes a recommendation to the Bureau director regarding the future status of the area agency.  The final decision regarding redesignation is ultimately made by the Bureau director and is based on the totality of the findings regarding area agency performance. 

Achieving redesignation enables an area agency to maintain its regional lead agency status for the next five years, whereas a conditional redesignation typically requires the area agency to make immediate and significant improvements with respect to the identified areas of concern in order to attain full redesignation status.  And, in those cases where it is de-designated, the agency loses its standing as an area agency and is replaced by another entity which is designated by the Bureau. 

Since its implementation in 1989, New Hampshire's redesignation process has been used as a multi purpose practice.  In addition to fulfilling regulatory requirements, the redesignation process has been primarily utilized to improve services and supports to individuals with disabilities and their families.  Ultimately, the redesignation process serves as another demonstration of the New Hampshire's Developmental Services system's long-standing commitment to enhance its activities on behalf of individuals with disabilities and their families in order to help them improve their lives and become contributing members of their local communities.