Contact: Andrew Skobinsky, Director of Communications
andrew.skobinsky@cyfd.nm.gov
(505) 500-9436
Jessica Preston
Jessica.preston@cyfd.nm.gov
(505) 699-2262
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 21, 2025
SANTA FE — A controversial plan to overhaul New Mexico’s child welfare system, House Joint Resolution 5, passed the House Health & Human Services Committee today, despite warnings from child welfare experts and state officials about its potentially devastating consequences.
The resolution, which seeks to dismantle the current cabinet-level Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) in favor of an appointed commission, threatens to unravel years of progress in child welfare reform and puts nearly $100 million in federal funding at risk.
This week, Kevin S. settlement co-neutrals Judith Meltzer and Kevin Ryan, who rarely comment on legislative activities, strongly denounced the proposal in a letter to CYFD officials and others. Ryan and Meltzer pointed out that successful child welfare reforms in New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and Oklahoma moved away from commission-based governance. They noted that having the child welfare agency report directly to a governor is crucial for prioritizing reforms and eliminating barriers to progress.
“This resolution would create chaos in our child welfare system at the worst possible time,” said CYFD Secretary Teresa Casados. “We’re looking at potentially catastrophic disruptions to services for our most vulnerable children and families, with no clear plan for maintaining federal funding or managing the transition of over 2,000 employees.”
Critics of HJR 5 note that it provides no framework for transferring existing federal grants, managing current legal obligations, or maintaining vital inter-agency partnerships that children and families depend on. The rushed implementation timeline could jeopardize compliance with federal requirements and put New Mexico at risk of losing tens of millions in federal funding.
Despite these serious concerns, the resolution now moves to the House Judiciary Committee without addressing fundamental questions about how this massive reorganization would affect New Mexico’s most vulnerable children.
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