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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	Vigil		DATE TYPED:	2/11/03		HB	524
SHORT TITLE:		Northeast NM Youth Shelter				SB
					ANALYST:		Chabot

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY03	FY04	FY03	FY04
	$267.0			Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Department of Health (DOH)

Juvenile Parole Board (JPB)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 524 appropriates $267.0 from the general fund to CYFD for the purpose of establishing a youth shelter for homeless, runaway and other children from San Miguel, Mora, Harding, Colfax and Union counties.

Significant Issues

There is no youth shelter in the northeast quadrant of New Mexico. Youth requiring short-term or emergency housing are placed in foster care or referred to one of the four youth shelters (Albuquerque (2), Las Cruces and Santa Fe). Foster care is also limited and normally has waiting lists; placement in one of the four shelters results in family separation compounding the problems that led to family breakup in the first place.

According to DOH, youth shelter providers believe that their services have been successful in keeping kids safe and off the street, keeping them in the community and putting families back together.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $267.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.

CYFD asks if capital outlay costs are considered in the appropriation contained in this bill.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

CYFD states that the term “other children” in line 19 is too broad and could be interpreted as encompassing all children.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. What are the existing services available in these counties?
2. Is this to be a state facility operated by CYFD or a contractor run facility?
3. Should CYFD manage a statewide shelter network providing this service?
4. Shelters are along the Rio Grande corridor; should additional shelters be in the other quandrants of the state?

GAC/yr