Let’s Talk New Mexico 5/5 8am: Being a teen in foster care can be complex. Imagine being taken from home, yearning to belong, or even lacking support when it comes to mental health. For most young adults, turning 18 means new opportunities and experiences. But for kids aging out of the foster care system, coming of age comes with stress and uncertainty of what comes next.
On this week’s Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll be taking a look at how our foster care system is structured, what reforms are needed in order to ensure kids are safe while in foster care, and what tools need to be implemented to ensure these young adults are set up for success. And we want to hear from you! Have you been a kid in foster care, or, did you age out of the system? Are you a foster parent? What gaps are you seeing in the system that need addressing? Email us at LetsTalk@kunm.org or call in live during the show.
GUESTS:
- Micaela Baca, NMCAN
- Eli Fresquez, Director of Children’s Rights, CYFD
- Beth Gillia, Deputy Secretary, CYFD
- Erika Poindexter, Lawyer and Resource Parent
- Arika Sanchez, Director of Policy for NMCAN
- Alyssa Davis, NMCAN
ADDITIONAL READING/RESOURCES:
Study looks at needs for the young and homeless - Albuquerque Journal
Systemically Neglected: How Racism Structures Public Systems to Produce Child Neglect
