Executive Summary:

The CYFD Reform Plan is a multi-year initiative to overhaul the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) and address its most pressing challenges. This plan is informed by ongoing evaluations, including arbiter reports and legislative scrutiny, which highlight systemic issues such as staffing shortages, funding deficits, case backlogs, failures in child safety, and inadequate foster care placements. These problems have persisted despite previous settlements, such as the 2020 Kevin S. agreement, resulting in preventable child deaths, worker burnout, and inefficient allocation of resources.

The reform plan is set to launch in January 2027 and will be implemented in phases: immediate stabilization in 2027, structural reforms from 2028 to 2029, and long-term sustainability starting in 2030. The key goals are to reduce incidents of child maltreatment by 50% within five years, achieve 90% compliance with federal and state standards, and build a resilient workforce. Success will be assessed through independent audits, key performance indicators (KPIs), and community feedback. 

An estimated initial funding requirement is $150 million in state appropriations, with additional support from federal grants and public-private partnerships.

Identified Key Problems:

Drawing from recent assessments (e.g., 2025 arbiter findings on stalled progress, legislative hearings on child deaths and workforce issues, and reports of funding shortfalls), the most significant problems include:

1. Staffing Shortages and High Turnover: Chronic understaffing leads to caseloads exceeding 20-30 cases per worker, far above national recommendations (12-15). This causes burnout, errors, and sleep-deprived staff handling critical duties like child transports.

2. Funding Deficits: Severe underfunding threatens core services, risking federal penalties and limiting investments in prevention programs. The 2025 budget proposals highlighted gaps that could exacerbate crises.

3. Child Safety and Placement Failures: Inadequate protections result in child deaths, abuse in care, and children sleeping in CYFD offices due to foster home shortages. Backlogs in investigations delay interventions.

4. Lack of Accountability and Transparency: Scandals, secrecy, and improper spending erode public trust. Non-compliance with reform settlements perpetuates cycles of failure.

5. Service Gaps and Overwork: Limited preventive services, outdated technology, and inefficient processes amplify chaos, with workers often going 24+ hours without rest.

​

Phased Implementation Strategy:

​The plan is divided into phases, with annual evaluations by an independent oversight board comprising experts, community representatives, and former CYFD clients.

​

Phase 1: Stabilization and Assessment (2027) Focus: Immediate crisis mitigation and data-driven planning:

• ​Workforce Boost: Launch a statewide recruitment campaign targeting social workers, offering competitive salaries (starting at $65,000), signing bonuses ($10,000), and student loan forgiveness. Partner with universities for accelerated training programs. Goal: Hire 200 new staff to reduce caseloads by 25%.

• Funding Securement: Advocate for a $50 million appropriation in the 2027 legislative session, plus pursue federal IV-E funds for foster care. Conduct a full audit of spending to eliminate waste.

• Child Safety Protocols: Implement 24/7 emergency placement teams to end office sleeping within six months. Roll out mandatory body cameras for field workers and AI-assisted risk assessment tools to prioritize high-risk cases.

• Transparency Measures: Establish a public dashboard for real-time metrics on caseloads, investigations, and outcomes. Create a whistleblower hotline and require quarterly reports to the legislature.

• Milestones: Complete agency-wide assessment by June 2027; achieve 80% staffing fill rate by year-end. KPIs: Reduce investigation backlogs by 30%; zero child office overnights after Q3.

​

Phase 2: Structural Reforms (2028-2029) Focus: Deep systemic changes for efficiency and prevention:

• Workforce Retention: Introduce wellness programs, including mental health support, flexible scheduling, and caseload caps at 15. Invest in ongoing training on trauma-informed care and cultural competency, especially for Native American and Hispanic communities prevalent in New Mexico.

• Funding Optimization: Secure ongoing $75 million annual increases through dedicated taxes (e.g., on cannabis sales) and grants. Redirect savings from reduced lawsuits (projected $20 million) into preventive family support services.

• Placement and Safety Enhancements: Expand foster parent recruitment via incentives like tax credits and housing subsidies. Build regional group homes and kinship care networks. Integrate predictive analytics to prevent maltreatment, targeting at-risk families with early interventions like home visits and counseling.

• Accountability Framework: Strengthen the Office of Children's Rights (per existing DOJ initiatives) with subpoena powers for CYFD reviews. Enforce Kevin S. settlement compliance through third-party monitoring, with penalties for non-adherence.

• Technology Upgrades: Deploy a unified case management system to streamline workflows, reducing administrative burdens by 40%. Pilot telehealth for remote assessments in rural areas.

• Milestones: By 2028, cut turnover to under 15%; by 2029, achieve full settlement compliance. KPIs: 40% drop in child maltreatment reports; 95% on-time investigations.

​

Phase 3: Sustainability and Innovation (2030 Onward) Focus: Long-term resilience and community integration:

• Preventive Ecosystem: Shift 30% of budget to upstream services like family resource centers, mental health partnerships, and school-based programs to reduce entries into the system.

• Community Engagement: Form regional advisory councils with parents, youth, and tribal leaders to co-design policies. Launch public education campaigns on child welfare reporting.

• Continuous Improvement: Mandate biennial external audits and adapt based on emerging data (e.g., climate impacts on family stability in New Mexico).

• Scalability: Explore interstate collaborations for specialized placements and share best practices nationally.

• Milestones: Maintain staffing at 95% capacity; integrate AI for 100% of risk assessments. KPIs: Sustain 50% reduction in maltreatment; achieve top-quartile national rankings in child outcomes.

​

Funding and Resource Allocation:

Sources: State budget (60%), federal matching funds (30%), private donations/philanthropy (10%).
Budget Breakdown (First Year):

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​Risks and Mitigation:

• Risk: Political resistance to funding. Mitigation: Build bipartisan support through data on cost savings:

(e.g., $1 in prevention saves $7 in reactive care).

• Risk: Implementation delays. Mitigation: Appoint a dedicated Reform Director with executive authority.

• Risk: Cultural resistance within CYFD. Mitigation: Involve staff in planning via town halls.

​​

Conclusion:

My CYFD Reform represents a bold reset for New Mexico's child welfare system, prioritizing safety, equity, and efficiency. By addressing root causes like understaffing and underfunding, this plan aims to protect vulnerable children while restoring public confidence. Annual progress reports will ensure accountability, with adjustments as needed to adapt to evolving challenges. Implementation begins January 1, 2027, marking a new era for CYFD.

​​​​

(Last Edited & Published Oct. 2025)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​