44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

ENCOURAGING THE CREATION OF A STATEWIDE VOLUNTEER CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT COUNCIL TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORMING THE STATE'S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM; REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ACTION BY THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT TO CONVENE A STUDY GROUP.

WHEREAS, the children, youth and families department and other advocates for children would like to improve services to New Mexico's abused and neglected children; and

WHEREAS, there exist in New Mexico many highly trained persons in both private and public service and many active nonprofit social service organizations, all making substantial efforts on a daily basis to protect the state's abused and neglected children;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the children, youth and families department convene and assist a statewide volunteer child abuse and neglect council to make recommendations to the department and the legislature on how best to care for our thousands of abused and neglected children; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the children, youth and families department be requested to initiate contracts with the state's private organizations licensed as child placement agencies as soon as practicable in order to expand the number of public accommodations for abused and neglected children; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department consider increasing payments to foster home parents so that the money will at least cover the costs of providing housing, food and clothing, which it does not do at present; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department continuously conduct a dialogue with the medicaid managed care organizations about the importance of increasing lengths of stay in treatment foster settings and increasing payments for foster care, particularly in cases of abuse and neglect requiring special counseling and treatment for these vulnerable children; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department report its progress on these issues to the interim legislative health and human services committee at its July 1999 meeting and deliver recommendations to begin to permanently resolve these critical problems to the same committee at its October 1999 meeting; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be sent to the secretary of children, youth and families.