STATE News:

SANTA FE — Republican State Senators Nicole Tobiassen (R-Albuquerque) and Crystal Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) are requesting the Arbitrator of the Kevin S. settlement to consider ruling in favor of placing CYFD under receivership in order to immediately assist in correcting the department’s failed direction and negligent mismanagement.

This call to action comes on the heels of a nationally publicized incident involving two juveniles under the age of ten brandishing a firearm at law enforcement officers. These children, who have been repeatedly failed by CYFD, reportedly interacted with law enforcement a shocking 180 separate times prior to this most recent episode. 

Both Senators have issued the following accompanying statements: 

“Enough is enough, the time for hopeful waiting is over. In the best interest of our state’s most vulnerable, neglected, and abused children, CYFD urgently needs extraordinary re-organization and competent leadership. It would be irresponsible of me, as an elected official and as a mother, to ignore the potentially life-saving option of placing CYFD in receivership in order to get this trainwreck back on track. This mismanagement and lack of proper leadership is jeopardizing the lives of countless children who are in dire need of behavioral health treatment, safe living conditions, and responsible caretaking.” – Sen. Nicole Tobiassen

“The ongoing organizational and leadership failures of the Children, Youth, and Families Department cannot continue. The mismanagement and unwillingness to constructively collaborate with the legislature and appropriate stakeholders from around the state proves incompetence and negligence. For years now, I have been working towards several solutions aimed at improving the lives and outcomes of the children within this department. In return, I see an increasingly mismanaged department with egregiously worse situations coming to light. There are no excuses for how poorly these cases have been handled time and time again, New Mexicans must recognize the urgent need for a better path forward, one where vulnerable children’s needs are truly prioritized.” – Sen. Crystal Brantley