young girl looking sad

Independent monitors produced a scathing assesment in a Sept. 18 letter to the acting secretaries of the Children, Youth and Families Department and Human Services Department.

“CYFD and HSD have been on notice for the past 12 months that they have failed to live up to the promises and requirements of the Kevin S. settlement agreement. CYFD and HSD have continued to ignore these obligations and disregard the specific recommendations from the Co-Neutrals despite agreeing to the 2023 CAP meant to remediate past non-compliance. Given the litany of the Departments’ abject failures and the current dangerous chaos impacting children in State custody, both CYFD and HSD must provide unequivocal written assurances that they are aware of, and that they fully will comply with, the recommendations provided by the Co-Neutrals in both their September 18, 2023 correspondence as well as those included in their correspondence from September 2022.

If we do not receive acceptable written assurances setting forth specific actions the State will take and clear timelines for each action needed to come into compliance with the 2023 CAP by the close of business on October 6, 2023, we will request arbitration.” 

Read the full report here: https://drnm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/9.22.2023-Ltr-to-State-Re-Kevin-S.-Noncompliance-Attachments.pdf

Read the article from Searchlight New Mexico:
“State of chaos’: New Mexico’s child welfare crisis is worse, monitors say”