NH DCYF Director Joseph E. Ribsam Earns National Recognition For Family Strengthening Efforts

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) congratulates Joseph E. Ribsam, Director of the Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), on receiving the Excellence for Children Leadership Award from Casey Family Programs. The Casey Excellence for Children Awards recognize individuals whose inspiring leadership and dedication are helping to build hope and make a difference in the lives of children and families.

Casey Family Programs is the nation’s largest operating foundation dedicated to safely reducing the need for foster care and building Communities of Hope for children and families. Ribsam was honored by Casey for his outstanding work, exceptional leadership, and unwavering dedication to improving child and family well-being.

Ribsam’s efforts at the helm of DCYF include leading the transformation of New Hampshire’s child- and family-serving system, which focuses on engaging with communities; ensuring that families have the right services at the right time and in the right place; and securing supports to keep children safe and families strong before a crisis calls for DCYF intervention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ribsam worked with community partners to develop the "New Hampshire Child and Family Well-Being Guide" and the Family Support Warm Line, to provide families resources and support over the course of the pandemic.

“In recent years, New Hampshire has made more progressive reforms to our state’s child welfare system than any administration in history – and Joe Ribsam deserves immense credit for ushering in this progress,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “Joe has helped transform DCYF, and this well-deserved award recognizes the around-the-clock work he has put in to deliver results for our most vulnerable children.”

“We are so proud to see national recognition of Joe’s leadership of DCYF and his dedication to supporting New Hampshire children and families,” said DHHS Commissioner Lori Shibinette. “Since day one, Joe has worked tirelessly to transform the child and family well-being system to better meet the needs of our residents. Casey Family Programs recognized what we’ve known all along – that New Hampshire families are lucky to have someone like Joe in their corner.”

“At Casey, we believe that every one of us has a role to play in building Communities of Hope, where children are safe, families are strong, and everyone has the support and opportunities they need to thrive," said David C. Mills, chair of the Board of Trustees of Casey Family Programs. "This year, in the face of a global pandemic that has brought increased adversity to us all, we find it even more important to recognize the work of these leaders and celebrate their contributions to the well-being of children and families. These winners make a difference through small, daily interactions that ripple far beyond their individual circles.”

The Casey Excellence for Children Awards are named in honor of Jim Casey, the founder of United Parcel Service, who established Casey Family Programs in 1966 as an operating foundation to help improve the safety and success of vulnerable children and their families across America. Award winners are selected in five categories: birth parents, alumni of foster care, foster or adoptive parents, kinship caregivers and community leaders.

For more information on the Casey Excellence for Children Awards, please visit www.casey.org/ceca.