Programs Available at NH State Prison for Men: What Your Loved One Can Access

Rehabilitative programming in the New Hampshire Department of Corrections is built around individual needs, not a one-size-fits-all checklist. The Department's programming categories include behavioral health services, Sexual Offender Treatment (SOT), and substance use disorder treatment. Beyond clinical programs, the DOC also offers opportunities in education, vocational training, skills-building, spirituality, and personal development. The goal across all of these: encouraging pro-social behavior and preparing people to return to the community.

Availability can depend on where someone is housed and what they've been approved for. So the most useful first step is getting a clear picture of what your loved one can access right now. In letters or calls, ask what classes or training options he's been told about, whether there's a waitlist, and what he needs to do to stay eligible (attendance expectations, behavior requirements, etc.).

Behavioral health support often starts in the first days of custody. When someone enters the DOC system, behavioral health clinicians conduct a screening to identify ongoing needs and determine who requires services. That initial screening is one reason it helps to ask your loved one what was flagged, what follow-up was offered, and what support he feels he needs now.

Behavioral health services also connect to safety inside the facility. According to the DOC, behavioral health clinicians collaborate with security and other healthcare staff so that risky or concerning behaviors can be identified and addressed quickly. The practical takeaway for families: treatment and custody staff aren't operating in separate lanes. Coordination is part of how concerns get handled.

For substance use disorder treatment, one program the DOC describes is the Focus Unit Program. It's a residential unit providing substance use disorder treatment with an emphasis on rehabilitation and wellness. The DOC specifies that this program is available to men at NNHCF and to women at NHCFW. If your loved one isn't at one of those facilities, it's still worth asking what substance use treatment options exist where he's currently housed.

If your loved one has been referred to Sexual Offender Treatment, it helps to understand how the program is sized. The DOC's intensive Sexual Offender Treatment (SOT) program has a capacity of 80 participants. That cap can affect how quickly someone starts once they're identified for services.

The DOC also describes a mentor layer for people who complete the program. An additional 24 beds are reserved for SOT graduates to stay on and serve as mentors. The idea is to support the treatment environment with people who've already been through the process.

Spiritual support is part of the DOC's programming picture, too. The Department employs three full-time chaplains and one part-time chaplain to provide spiritual guidance and help people practice their faith while incarcerated.

The DOC states that a chapel and spiritual services are offered in each correctional facility. If faith is important to your loved one, encourage him to ask what services are currently running in his housing area and what the process is to participate.

Education, skills-building, and spiritual support often work best when they reinforce each other. If your loved one is trying to stabilize, build a routine, or plan for reentry, you can help by talking through practical goals: what he wants to learn, what habits he's trying to change, and what support helps him stay consistent. Those conversations keep program participation tied to real-life outcomes, not just "something to do."

How Families Can Support Participation

• ✓ Ask your loved one which program areas he has access to right now (behavioral health, SOT, substance use disorder treatment).
• ✓ Encourage him to tell you what he is working on in a program, and what would make it easier to stay engaged.
• ✓ If he mentions waitlists or eligibility requirements, help him track what he can control (attendance, following rules, completing assignments).
• ✓ Support long-term planning by talking about reentry goals that match the kinds of services the DOC offers (treatment progress, healthier coping skills, stability).