Office of Advocacy

OOA’s Service areas include the following:

Constituent Advocacy and Assistance

OOA provides high-quality, efficient customer service to resolve questions and receive complaints and grievances raised by or on behalf of the children, youth, and families that CYFD serves, by Resource/Foster Families, and by individual community members.

Upon receipt of complaints, OOA works with CYFD staff to facilitate communication with the constituent, address and resolve minor issues, and ensure compliance with policy, procedure, and the law. OOA also oversees and ensures compliance with the New Mexico Foster Child and Youth Bill of Rights, the Resource/Foster Family Bill of Rights, and internal policies and procedures. It maintains the hotline within CYFD Juvenile Justice facilities for youth and staff to report abuse and neglect concerns within those facilities. OOA works alongside CYFD’s Office of Inspector General and Employee Relations Bureau to investigate and resolve issues and to track data to address systemic issues.

Education

OOA serves as a liaison between schools and CYFD field staff when a child/youth enters state custody, ensuring schools are notified of the transition and that the child/youth remains in their school of origin. It also provides support around special education and discipline issues.

Immigration

OOA’s Immigration Specialists train CYFD field staff on immigration matters and partner with CYFD field staff to notify the appropriate consulate any time one of its citizens is involved with the Department to ensure that their rights are protected. It assists with interpretation/translation, language access, obtaining foreign vital documents, and maintaining family connections or helping facilitate reunification with relatives in the home country. The OOA Immigration Unit also connects people served by CYFD with culturally appropriate supports and immigration legal services.

Disability Rights

OOA assists CYFD field staff in assessing eligibility and applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), survivor and disability benefits (RSDI), the Developmental Disabilities Waiver, and adult guardianship for children and youth when they enter care and on an ongoing basis. It monitors and safeguards these benefits for the benefit of the child/youth.

CYFD’s Office of Advocacy Can Help Resolve Your Inquiries, Complaints, and Grievances

If you are a child/youth involved with CYFD or a Resource/Foster Family and believe your rights have been violated, the OOA can help obtain information, facilitate communication, and resolve your concern, and it works alongside CYFD’s Office of Inspector General or Employee Relations Bureau to further investigate and resolve more serious issues.

OOA oversees and ensures compliance with the New Mexico Foster Child and Youth Bill of Rights [link], the Resource/Foster Family Bill of Rights [link], New Mexico and federal law, and internal policies and procedures. Any child, youth, or family served by CYFD, Resource/Foster Family, or individual community member may report questions, concerns, comments, or complaints about any aspect of CYFD to OOA. Adults may contact OOA on behalf of children and youth.

To contact OOA, email cyfd.advocacy@cyfd.nm.gov or call (505) 681-2486.

What to Expect from OOA

In most cases, OOA will respond to confirm receipt of an inquiry or complaint within 48 hours to see how it can help. It will begin assessing the issue and communicating with CYFD staff to obtain information and work toward a resolution. Please be prepared to share as much information as possible about the issue or incident with OOA staff so they can determine how best to handle it. OOA will address and resolve minor issues and ensure compliance with policy, procedure, and the law and will provide regular updates, as well as the outcome, to the constituent. It refers more serious complaints to CYFD’s Office of Inspector General or Employee Relations Bureau in cases of employee misconduct.

If you are reporting suspected abuse or neglect, call CYFD’s Statewide Central Intake office at 1-855-333-SAFE [7233] or text #SAFE