he State of New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, 1031 Lamberton Place NE in Albuquerque, photographed on Friday December 18, 2015. (Dean Hanson/Albuquerque Journal)
This is the first story in a series looking at child welfare in New Mexico.
New Mexico has ranked consistently near the bottom when it comes to child well-being. The Children, Youth and Families Department, which is supposed to protect the most vulnerable children, has also battled scandals, secrecy, and staffing instability for decades. In the first of a series, KUNM looks deeper into the legacy of these longstanding challenges and how they affect families in the foster care system. Kevin S. was 12 in 2009 when he entered foster care the first time. He went into custody again in 2016, this time at the request of his mother. But placements weren’t always available and many nights he actually slept in offices of the Children, Youth and Families Department or CYFD…