The Children, Youth and Families Department is failing New Mexico children.
It doesn’t do any good to use soft language or beat around the bush on this subject.
When vulnerable children in our state are being abused or killed, when the government agency charged with protecting their rights and well-being is instead re-traumatizing them, when state officials are fighting back against efforts to reform these broken systems, we should speak plainly — and the plain fact is CYFD is not working. And it’s not worked for years.
At the same time, tough talk is not nearly enough.
As someone who founded and has run a successful business helping vulnerable and disabled children for decades, I fundamentally understand the importance of strict processes and protocols to keep children out of harm’s way. CYFD fails these stress tests seemingly every single day. And the cost of their mismanagement is borne by the most vulnerable children — kids born into drug addiction, traumatized by violence and drug use in their homes, families who need support.