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

SPONSOR Lopez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/29/07

HB

SHORT TITLE NMSU Strengthening Families Initiative

SB 396

ANALYST Hanika Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$500.0

recurring

general fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB 448

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Higher Education Department HED)

Public Education Department (PED)

Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 396 appropriates $500 thousand from the general fund to New Mexico State

University (NMSU) to support the Strengthening Families Initiative (SFI) to reduce child abuse

and neglect and prevent youth problem behavior.

SB 396 relates to the Governor’s Healthy New Mexico goal of providing enhanced services to

high-risk and high-need individuals, and to the Governor’s Safer New Mexico initiative task to

reduce child abuse and neglect.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $500 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY08 shall revert to the

general fund.

This appropriation was submitted by New Mexico State University to HED for review and is not

Senate Bill 396 – Page

2

included in the Department’s funding recommendation for FY08. The Department is

recommending the recurring amount of $47.5 thousand, but not NMSU’s request for the

additional $500 thousand.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

HED reports that in 1999, the Children’s Defense Fund rated New Mexico among the worst

places to raise a child. They stated the states high rate of children living in poverty, single parent

families, school failure and dropout, teen pregnancy, and adolescent substance abuse as reasons

for the rating. The SFI was established to address some of these challenges.

The purpose of the initiative is to reduce child abuse and neglect and prevent youth behavior

problems. The target audience includes teen parents, unmarried parents, and grandparents raising

grandchildren, families affected by domestic violence, families dealing with substance abuse,

and families involved with the criminal justice system. Parents and children attend weekly

classes for 15-24 weeks and receive instruction in healthy family relationships, life skills and

nutrition. Since February 2003, the SFI has delivered 127 family strengthening classes in 20

counties throughout the state. At least 360 families are to be served this year and approximately

14,000 hours of education will be delivered.

Currently, SFI provides parenting education to low-income families who either receive

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or are eligible for TANF. This appropriation

would be used to serve families who do not meet the income guidelines required by Human

Services Department funding, and to reach more families in more counties, particularly rural and

underserved populations.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

NMSU will be responsible for administering the funding appropriation in the bill.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

State agencies question how NMSU’s efforts might be coordinated with other existing programs

that reduce child abuse and neglect and prevent youth problem behavior.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Duplicates HB 448

ALTERNATIVES

NMSU to seek funding elsewhere, such as from private or federal funding sources.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Funding to support the SFI and reach more families at NMSU to reduce child abuse and neglect

and prevent youth problem behavior may not be provided.

AHO/nt