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CREATIVE, AND WHY SOME LAWMAKERS SAY THERE HAS TO BE A SAFER WAY. THE DOORS ARE WIDE OPEN AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO COME INTO THE LIBRARY. AMY: MICHAEL YORK HAS BEEN NEW HAMPSHIRE’S STATE LIBRARIAN FOR 20 YEARS AND SAYS LIBRARIANS ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN SERVING THE PUBLIC. >> WE NEVER WANT TO REMOVE ANYBODY FROM THE LIBRARY, BUT WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE OTHER PATRONS IN THE LIBRARY AT THE SAME TIM AMY: THAT CONCERN IS WHAT PROMPTED QUESTIONS TO START FILTERING INTO YORK’S OFFICE IN CONCORD LAST FALL. >> A NUMBER OF LIBRARIES WERE HAVING CUSTODIAL PARENTS SHOW UP WITH CHILDREN AND THEN THE OTHER PARENT WOULD SHOW UP. WE KNOW FULL WELL THAT THESE THINGS CAN GET OUT OF HAND. AMY: LIBRARIES, FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, EVEN POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT PARKING LOTS ARE POPULAR MEETING LOCATIONS FOR PARENTS WORKING TO ADHERE TO A JUDGE’S ORDERS, REQUIRING SUPERVISED VISITS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THE REASON -- THERE’S OFTEN NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. THE YWCA IS JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE MANCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND THIS BUILDING USED TO HAVE A SECURE VISITATION CENTER FOR SUPERVISED VISITS. THEN, IN 2013, A DISGRUNTLED FATHER BROUGHT A GUN INSIDE, KILLED HIS OWN SON, AND THEN HIMSELF. THE CENTER CLOSED FOR GOOD SEVEN MONTHS LATER. INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED SAFETY -- DETERMINED THE FACILITY HAD NOT BEEN CONSISTENTLY FOLLOWING SAFETY PRACTICES, INCLUDING METAL DETECTOR SCREENING. >> THERE ARE ONLY THREE SUPERVISED CENTERS OF WHICH TWO ARE GOING TO BE CLOSING BECAUSE OF FINANCING. AMY: NOW, REPRESENTATIVE PAT LONG IS PUSHING A BILL THAT WOULD BRING BACK VISITATION CENTERS IN EACH COUNTY AT A COST OF $2 MILLION A YEAR. >> IT’S A SECURE ENTRANCE. AMY: NEWS 9 TRAVELED TO LEBANON TO SEE HOW A SUPERVISED VISITATION CENTER WORKS. SECURITY IS TIGHT. >> POLICE OFFICERS ARE GOING TO STEP UP AND ASK YOU TO PUT YOUR THINGS DOWN THERE. THEY ARE GOING TO BITE YOU DOWN. -- PAT YOU DOWN. AMY: JEANETTE BIRGE IS A PASSIONATE PROPONENT OF SECURE VISITATION CENTERS. I WONDER WHAT YOUR REACTION IS TO THE IDEA OF A COURT ORDERED SUPERVISED VISIT HAPPENING IN A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT OR SHOPPING MALL. >> WITHOUT A TRAINED SUPERVISOR, I HAVE NIGHTMARES ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF. HORRIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN. AMY: AN ARMED OFFICER, CAMERAS EVERYWHERE, A LOCK BOX -- THEY OFFER A STARK CONTRAST TO THE LIBRARY. ANOTHER RECENT CASE HIGHLIGHTING PROBLEMS -- IN 2017, A TWO-YEAR-OLD WAS KIDNAPPED BY HIS OWN PARENTS DURING A SUPERVISED VISIT WITH A DCYF CASE WORKER AT THE MALL OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILIES AS WELL AS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DECLINED MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR INTERVIEWS FOR THIS STORY -- OFFERING INSTEAD A STATEMENT THAT SAYS IN PART, "DCYF HAS HISTORICALLY USED PUBLIC SPACES, AS APPROPRIATE AND WHERE NO RISKS ARE IDENTIFIED, FOR VISITS BETWEEN FOSTER CHILDREN AND THEIR BIRTH PARENTS. THAT CONTINUES TODAY AT PARKS, SHOPPING MALLS, PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES." THE STATEMENT CLAIMS THEY HAVE STOPPED THE PRACTICE OF MEETING AT THE MANCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY AT THE LIBRARY’S REQUEST, BUT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AT OTHER LIBRARIES AND LOCATIONS REMAIN. >> WE DON’T WANT TO STAND BACK AND JUST WAIT FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. THAT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE IN MY OPINION. AMY: THE NEW HAMPSHIRE COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE OPPOSES THE BILL TO BUILD SUPERVISED VISITATION CENTERS. IT QUESTIONS THE PRACTICE OF COURT ORDERED VISITATION BETWEEN A CHILD AND A PARENT WHO MAY HAVE BEEN ABUSIVE IN THE HOME. JEANETTE BIRGE FROM WAYPOINT SAYS A CHILD WHO DOESN’T WANT TO SEE A PARENT IS NEVER FORCED TO, BUT SAYS SHE’S WITNESSED MAGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS BETWEEN CHILD AND PARENT IN A SAFE CONTROLLED SETTING. FOR NEWS 9 INVESTI

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State-supervised visits for parents who have been separated from their children are sometimes held at public libraries, a practice that's causing concern for some librarians.Librarians said court-ordered visitations can be contentious, particularly in domestic violence cases. >> Download the FREE WMUR app"The doors are wide open, and everybody is welcome to come in," said Michael York, New Hampshire's state librarian.York has been state librarian for 20 years and said librarians are serious about their role in serving the public."We never want to remove anybody from the library, but we have to be concerned about the other patrons in the library at the same time," he said.That concern is what prompted questions to start filtering into York's office in Concord last fall."A number of libraries were having custodial parents show up with children, and then the other parent would show up," York said. "We know full well that these things can get out of hand."Libraries, fast food restaurants and police and fire department parking lots are popular meeting locations for parents working to adhere to a judge's orders to hold supervised visits with their children. Officials said there is often nowhere else to go.A block away from the Manchester Public Library is the YWCA, which used to have a secure visitation center for supervised visits. In 2013, a disgruntled father brought a gun to a visit and killed his son before killing himself. The visitation center closed for good seven months later.Investigators determined that safety practices, including having an armed guard present and using a metal detector, were not adhered to."I think we're at a crossroads right now," said Rep. Pat Long, D-Manchester. "We only have three supervised visitation centers, of which, two are going to be closing because of financing."Long is pushing a bill that would bring back visitation centers in each county at a cost of $2 million per year. At a secure visitation center in Lebanon, security is tight. Visitors are checked for weapons, an armed officer is present and cameras are everywhere.Jeannette Birge, of Waypoint, is a passionate proponent of secure visitation centers. She said she doesn't like the idea of supervised visits happening at malls and libraries."Without a trained supervisor, I have nightmares about that kind of stuff," she said. "Horrible things can happen."In 2017, a 2-year-old boy was kidnapped by his parents during a supervised visit with a Division of Children, Youth and Families case worker at the Mall of New Hampshire. Officials with DCYF and the Department of Health and Human Services declined interview requests and instead issued a statement."DCYF has historically used public spaces as appropriate and where no risks are identified for visits between foster children and their birth parents," DHHS spokesman Jake Leon said. "That continues today at parks, shopping malls, public libraries and other public spaces."In the statement, Leon said DHHS has stopped the practice of meeting at the Manchester Public Library at the library's request. But York said potential problems at other libraries and locations remain."We don't want to just stand back and wait for something to happen," York said. "That would be irresponsible, in my opinion."The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence opposes the bill to build supervised visitation centers. It questioned the practice of court-ordered visitation between a child and a parent who might have been abusive in a home.Birge said a child who doesn't want to see a parent is never forced to, but she said she has witnessed transformations between a child and a parent in a safe, controlled setting.