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

REQUESTING THAT THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT ASSEMBLE A PANEL OF EXPERTS TO CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT STUDY OF THE FAMILIES IN NEED OF SERVICES PROGRAM CREATED BY THE CHILDREN'S CODE.

WHEREAS, the families in need of services article of the Children's Code was statutorily created in 1993 to replace the children in need of supervision section; and

WHEREAS, the families in need of services program is aimed at reducing juvenile crime through prevention and early intervention; and

WHEREAS, when the families in need of services program was created, it was recognized that it would cost approximately six million five hundred thousand dollars ($6,500,000) to fully implement the array of prevention and early intervention services needed for at-risk children and their families through a community-based system; and

WHEREAS, a panel of persons and agencies involved with the families in need of services program should be assembled by the children, youth and families department to review Chapter 32A, Articles 3A, 3B and 4 NMSA 1978 and determine the scope of those problems, including the type of prevention and early intervention services needed and the cost to appropriately fund those services;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that a panel of experts on the families in need of services program be assembled by the children, youth and families department to review Chapter 32A, Articles 3A, 3B and 4 NMSA 1978 and to determine what programs currently exist, which agencies are responsible for which services, existing gaps in those services, additional preventive and early intervention services needed by communities and any other problems related to the families in need of services program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health, the state department of public education, the administrative office of the courts and the human services department participate in the effort as members of the panel and by providing all statistics needed to accomplish the purposes of this memorial; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the children, youth and families department report on its findings to the legislative health and human services committee, the legislative finance committee and the courts, corrections and criminal justice committee no later than October 1, 1999; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be sent to the secretary of children, youth and families, the secretary of health, the secretary of human services, the superintendent of public instruction, the director of the administrative office of the courts and the New Mexico legislative council.