children’s psychiatric drugs in new hampshire medicaid: new hampshire’s own three numbers
new hampshire told cms three things about its children in the 2025 reporting year: 62.2 percent of children aged 1 to 11 newly prescribed an antipsychotic had psychosocial care documented first, 21st of the 50 states that reported it; 32.1 percent of children on two or more antipsychotics got both the glucose and the cholesterol test, 16th of the 49 states that reported it; 45.3 percent of children aged 6 to 12 starting an adhd medicine were seen again inside 30 days, 30th of the 51 states that reported it.[1]
across the whole age range, new hampshire sits in the top quarter of the country on psychosocial care before an antipsychotic and below the national median on the 30-day adhd follow-up. same state, same year, same children.
every row new hampshire sent to cms
| measure | new hampshire | denominator | rank | national median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APP-CHpsychosocial care first, 1 to 11 | 62.2 | withheld | 21 of 50 | 59.2 |
| APP-CHpsychosocial care first, 12 to 17 | 73.8 | withheld | 7 of 51 | 63.8 |
| APP-CHpsychosocial care first, 1 to 17 | 71.0 | 345 | 11 of 51 | 61.4 |
| APM-CHboth blood tests, 1 to 11 | 32.1 | withheld | 16 of 49 | 29.1 |
| APM-CHboth blood tests, 12 to 17 | 39.5 | withheld | 20 of 51 | 36.3 |
| APM-CHboth blood tests, 1 to 17 | 37.4 | 1,146 | 17 of 51 | 32.9 |
| APM-CHglucose alone, 1 to 17 | 60.6 | 1,146 | 9 of 51 | 54.4 |
| APM-CHcholesterol alone, 1 to 17 | 38.8 | 1,146 | 18 of 51 | 34.8 |
| ADD-CH30-day adhd follow-up, 6 to 12 | 45.3 | 1,273 | 30 of 51 | 47.6 |
| ADD-CHnine-month adhd follow-up, 6 to 12 | 49.7 | 557 | 35 of 49 | 55.5 |
rank 1 is the highest rate. how the ranks and the withheld cells work.[1]
talking treatment before the antipsychotic
for the youngest children, aged 1 to 11, new hampshire reported 62.2 percent — 3.0 points above the national median of 59.2, and 21st of the 50 states that reported it. put the other way round, 37.8 percent of the youngest children in new hampshire who were started on an antipsychotic had no psychosocial care documented before it. for adolescents aged 12 to 17 the figure was 73.8 percent. across ages 1 to 17, 71.0 percent on 345 children, 11th of the 51 states that reported it. it reported 64.5 the year before on the same method, so this one moved 6.5 points up — the only one of the three where that comparison holds. either side of new hampshire on that row: new york at 71.1 and wyoming at 70.9.
the two blood tests
new hampshire reported that 32.1 percent of children aged 1 to 11 on two or more antipsychotic prescriptions had both tests — 16th of the 49 states that reported it, 3.0 points above the national median of 29.1. split into halves across ages 1 to 17, glucose ran 60.6 percent and cholesterol 38.8 percent, both on 1,146 children — 9th of the 51 states that reported it on glucose, 18th of the 51 states that reported it on cholesterol. across ages 1 to 17 the both-tests rate was 37.4 percent. either side of new hampshire on the both-tests row for ages 1 to 17: texas at 37.7 and vermont at 37.4.
the 30-day visit after a new adhd prescription
45.3 percent, on 1,273 children aged 6 to 12 who were newly prescribed an adhd medicine in new hampshire — 30th of the 51 states that reported it, 2.3 points below the national median of 47.6. that leaves 54.7 percent of those children with no recorded prescriber visit in the month after the medicine started. over the nine months that follow, 49.7 percent had at least two more visits on 557 children, against a national median of 55.5 — 35th of the 49 states that reported it. either side of new hampshire on the 30-day row: colorado at 45.3 and washington at 44.7.
what medicaid paid for in new hampshire in 2024
in 2024 medicaid in new hampshire paid for 30,977 hydroxyzine prescriptions, $221,592 worth, and 41,458 benzodiazepine prescriptions, $292,149 worth — 74.7 hydroxyzine prescriptions for every 100 benzodiazepine ones. 191 of the 387 hydroxyzine rows and 503 of the 887 benzodiazepine rows for new hampshire were suppressed, so both are floors.[2] our own sums of the federal file, which has no ages, so neither is a children’s number, and no rank.
four things to ask, with new hampshire’s own numbers behind them
ask which drug it is, not which class
new hampshire, 2024: 30,977 hydroxyzine prescriptions and 41,458 benzodiazepine prescriptions
hydroxyzine is an antihistamine; a benzodiazepine brings dependence and withdrawal. read the name on the bottle. why they get merged.
if an antipsychotic is being started, ask what came first
new hampshire: 62.2 percent of children aged 1 to 11, 21st of the 50 states that reported it
in 37.8 percent of these cases the answer is “none yet”. ask what was tried first, and ask for it in the notes.
if your child is on an antipsychotic, get the date of the bloodwork
new hampshire: 32.1 percent of children aged 1 to 11 had both tests, 16th of the 49 states that reported it
missed 67.9 percent of the time in new hampshire. ask when the glucose and cholesterol test is booked, and leave with a date.
if an adhd medicine has just been started, book the 30-day visit now
new hampshire: 45.3 percent, 30th of the 51 states that reported it
this is where a dose gets checked and a wrong fit is caught, and new hampshire misses it 54.7 percent of the time. book it before you leave the room.
how to read any of this
self-reported, on methods that differ by state, and process not outcome.[1] method and suppression rules; the national picture.
questions people ask
In New Hampshire, how many children get therapy before they get an antipsychotic?
In the 2025 reporting year New Hampshire reported 62.2 percent for children aged 1 to 11, against a national median of 59.2 percent — 21st of the 50 states that reported it. For ages 12 to 17 it was 73.8 percent, and across ages 1 to 17 71.0 percent on 345 children.
In New Hampshire, do children on antipsychotics get the blood tests?
32.1 percent of children aged 1 to 11 on two or more antipsychotic prescriptions had both tests — 16th of the 49 states that reported it, against a national median of 29.1 percent. Across ages 1 to 17: glucose 60.6 percent, cholesterol 38.8 percent, on 1,146 children.
In New Hampshire, how often does the 30-day ADHD follow-up visit happen?
45.3 percent of the time, on 1,273 children aged 6 to 12 newly prescribed an ADHD medicine — 30th of the 51 states that reported it, against a national median of 47.6 percent. The nine-month measure, two further visits, was 49.7 percent in New Hampshire against a median of 55.5.
sources
- CMS Medicaid/CHIP Child Core Set, 2025 reporting year, New Hampshire rows, read 2026-09-28. APP-CH psychosocial care first, 1 to 11: 62.2 (denominator not publicly reported); APP-CH psychosocial care first, 12 to 17: 73.8 (denominator not publicly reported); APP-CH psychosocial care first, 1 to 17: 71.0 on a denominator of 345; APM-CH both blood tests, 1 to 11: 32.1 (denominator not publicly reported); APM-CH both blood tests, 12 to 17: 39.5 (denominator not publicly reported); APM-CH both blood tests, 1 to 17: 37.4 on a denominator of 1,146; APM-CH glucose alone, 1 to 17: 60.6 on a denominator of 1,146; APM-CH cholesterol alone, 1 to 17: 38.8 on a denominator of 1,146; ADD-CH 30-day adhd follow-up, 6 to 12: 45.3 on a denominator of 1,273; ADD-CH nine-month adhd follow-up, 6 to 12: 49.7 on a denominator of 557. Method and ranking scope: /medicaid-children. https://data.medicaid.gov/dataset/14bc26c3-5584-4032-9175-f3a0399cb206
- CMS State Drug Utilization Data 2024, New Hampshire rows, summed by product name, read 2026-09-28: hydroxyzine 30,977 prescriptions, $221,592, 191 of 387 rows suppressed; benzodiazepines 41,458 prescriptions, $292,149, 503 of 887 rows suppressed. Our sum, not a CMS statistic. https://data.medicaid.gov/dataset/61729e5a-7aa8-448c-8903-ba3e0cd0ea3c
all 51 states ranked · what the national numbers say
nothing here is a reason to start, stop or change a child’s medication. it is a set of questions to bring to the person who prescribes it.
adam