CYFD Stories
An ever-growing collection of stories from our Community Partners, staff, and the children, youth, and families who have been supported by CYFD.
Everyone arrives with a story. CYFD is here to help them write the next chapter.
Cheryl’s Story
Our situation was not what most would call a good environment for success. My children and I experienced some of the worst things you can imagine in an abusive relationship, when we saw the first opportunity to leave I made the choice to take it, leaving everything behind and taking only the clothes on our backs.
When we were referred to in-home services it was like a breath of fresh air. For one, my caseworker Larissa became my heaven on earth.. she was always dedicated providing guidance and advocating for me when I needed it most. The support I received from the program through my wonderful caseworkers goes a lot deeper than just financial assistance. Therapy, mental health help for myself and kiddos, ensuring I stayed on track of the goal which was above all for my family to be SAFE. Cyfd intervention helped me gain stability for myself and my children and the resources provided were crucial for our well-being. I can honestly say that I am extremely blessed and thankful to have had the support from cyfd in a time where everything was falling apart. I know my caseworkers are extremely proud of how far my 3 kids and I have came and they give me full credit for my success story but even tho my hard work did it, the immense encouragement and resources offered by my caseworkers really motivated my success.
I want to thank the entire cyfd department on their huge help from financial assistances, referrals for couseling, food boxes, clothes, supplies, reimbursements from CVRC. Finding safe placement through domestic violence shelters, Down to the phone calls when I felt like I wasn’t going to make it. Every part of the department was a blessing. Now, exactly 1 year later, all of my children are thriving academically as I am also thriving in my career.
For anyone going through a hard time especially in the holidays, just remember There are people in place to help those who want to be helped. Even if you feel Broken at the moment, with a little help YOU CAN AND YOU WILL SUCCEED. Never forget that even broken crayons still color the same ❤️ Honestly, I have realized lately that one of my goals after everything we overcame is to be a positive voice in the broken soul of every woman and child I encounter and try my best to be walking proof that this IS and will forever be possible with a little help and a bunch of love for these babies who will build our future for generations to come. 💕 it makes me cry so much when I think back on that time period because I don’t think I ever really felt anything other than scared while in survival mode and I forget to remind myself that I am proud of myself, so so proud of these babies and immensely thankful for the help we received 💗
Levi’s Story
Through the use of trauma informed clinical approaches, Levi has felt supported in navigating foster care with his Community Behavioral Health Clinician (CBHC). CBHC King has been able to support in transitions between shelters/placements, accompany Levi and his case workers to his specialist appointments, support Protective Services staff in engagement strategies, attend special education meetings, support Levi through multiple Protective Services (PS) case worker reassignments, and help Levi emotionally process his clinical needs determined through extensive evaluation processes. Levi has repeatedly requested CBHC King’s attendance during these times for additional support with emotional regulation, historical clinical knowledge of his case, advocacy, and for individualized reframing of information that aligns with his cognitive processing style. The extensive support, 1:1 engagement, and communication from his PS Permanency Coordinator and CBHC has created a growth environment for Levi to navigate life’s challenges without the fear of feeling alone.
Behavioral Health Services (BHS) funding has allowed intensive support that has created an additional point of safety and stability for Levi and has directly correlated to his long-term outcomes of permanency such as securing the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver that allowed placement an Intermediate Care Facility utilizing a person-centered, community-oriented approach that can be maintained post 18. BHS has been able to clinically support Levi and Protective Services in exploring treatment options and advocacy for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations for his bilateral hearing loss through obtaining hearing aids, exploring alternative communication options, exploring a cochlear implant evaluation, special education collaboration with the New Mexico School for the Deaf, and repeated exploration of accommodations to organizational policy of potential placements. This continued support has encouraged Levi to have a sense of autonomy in his care and to make informed decisions about his daily living, education, and medical needs.
Meridian’s Story
Meridian Behavioral Health Inc. has become a vital partner in strengthening New Mexico’s behavioral health continuum, particularly for our most marginalized and underserved communities. Across rural and urban areas, Meridian delivers culturally attuned, trauma-responsive services that meet people where they are—whether they are justice-impacted youth and adults, transition-age youth, LGBTQIA+ community members, or families navigating complex and chronic behavioral health needs.
Through the support of HCA’s Rural Health Care Delivery Fund (RHCDF), Meridian has expanded its capacity to provide essential services that would otherwise remain inaccessible. These funds have allowed Meridian to train and support master’s-level interns, build a sustainable behavioral health workforce, and increase access to assessment and outpatient services for individuals often left out of traditional systems of care. The RHCDF grant has also strengthened Meridian’s partnership with CYFD and JJS by supporting Level of Care assessments for youth in State custody, ensuring accurate placement, timely stabilization, and individualized care planning. These assessments directly improve outcomes for young people who require immediate, informed behavioral health interventions.
Meridian is also preparing for the transition toward becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), which will significantly expand integrated, whole-person care statewide. Their comprehensive and innovative approach—combining evidence-based practices, somatic and community-based modalities, culturally grounded frameworks, and emerging therapeutic methods—aligns with New Mexico’s goals for an equitable, modernized behavioral health system.
As the founder and CEO of Meridian, I have witnessed our programs transform lives and restore hope. Families gain stability, youth receive the assessments and supports they need to heal, and community members who have long been excluded from services finally access care that reflects their realities. Continued investment in behavioral health is an investment in New Mexico’s people, its future behavioral health workforce, and its vision for a stronger, more just system of care.
Lacey’s Story
My name is Lacey Little, and I am one of the young adults in the extended foster care system. Fostering connections helped me get my bearings, especially when I had just aged directly out of foster care. When I became homeless. I was devastated. Flora actively showed up for me, helped me acquire a storage unit and even helped me move all my belongings into it. I am so grateful that Flora was there for me that day, I felt so lost and scared.
My next worker was Cynthia Sena, and she happened to be my Medicaid care coordinator previously. So, we were already acquainted and familiar with each other. Cynthia, while she may be seen as my assigned worker, went above and beyond any time I truly needed anything. For example, one month, once I moved out on my own, I couldn’t afford groceries. Cynthia informed me of my startup funds and helped me fill out the application for food money. It’s not just the people who helped me, but it’s the program too.
I am surrounded by individuals that not only recognize my progress but also push me to be the best version of myself. This program supported me aging out of foster care, provided financial support when I was at my lowest, helped me develop life skills, allowed me to pursue education and my career as I needed it, gave me access to health related resources, helped me discover who I am, and helped me maintain support and relationships in my life. I truly cannot explain in works how grateful I am that the system really showed up for me and cared about my needs, when no one else would.
Omar’s Story
I am writing to share my experience as a constituent who has been serving children, adolescents, families, and adults in New Mexico for over 20 years. TeamBuilders Behavioral Health currently serves northern NM, Rio Rancho, Santa Rosa, and Los Lunas areas. This letter illustrates the essential nature of these services and the importance of continued support and funding.
Over the last 5 years, TBBH has developed strong collaborative relationships with Children Youth and Families and the Juvenile Justice System in several counties. Through our wraparound model and evidence-based treatment, our agency has collaborated and served numerous children who are either in the reunification process or pending adoption. In addition, TBBH and JJS have worked closely to serve teens with a variety of behavioral health issues.
Our agency’s stance is to continue building strong working and collaborative relationships with CYFD and other community resources. Access to timely, culturally appropriate services can make an essential difference for our children and families.
Please continue supporting behavioral health services. Investing in these resources strengthens our community and provides hope and opportunity to those who need it most.
The Ruiz Family Story
The role of a Family Support Specialist is often described as supportive, resourceful, and hands-on, yet the true value of this position becomes especially clear when a family is on the verge of crisis. In this case, early intervention played a critical part in preventing four young children from entering foster care during a period of significant instability caused by parental substance use and abandonment. The grandparents involvement in Family Services with CYFD not only protected the children’s well-being but also empowered them as grandparents who stepped forward as caregivers to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing home.
From the outset, the Family Support Specialist worked tirelessly to understand the family’s unique needs and to create a plan that prioritized safety while honoring family connections. Recognizing that custody removal was imminent, the Family Support Specialist quickly acted to help the grandparents file for guardianship, ensuring the children could remain within their family network. She also assisted them in securing essential supports such as SNAP benefits, childcare services, and stable schooling arrangements, all of which reduced overwhelming financial and logistical pressures. Equally important, she guided the caregivers through accessing Medicaid for the children and ensuring they were up-to-date with medical appointments, annual checkups, and developmental needs.
Throughout their work together, the Family Support Specialist maintained contact with the family, offering continued guidance, emotional reassurance, and practical solutions. This ongoing partnership created a foundation of trust that strengthened the caregivers’ confidence and reinforced their role as secondary parents.
The grandparents have expressed profound gratitude, emphasizing that without our program’s support, they may not have had the tools or knowledge needed to keep the children within the family. Because of our intervention, these four children were able to remain together, avoid entering foster care, and continue their lives in a familiar, loving home.