New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department

Officials with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department said this week they are making improvements in some areas of foster care following a landmark settlement agreement. But experts have yet to validate those numbers.

The state of New Mexico is still not doing enough to improve its foster care system, despite a 2020 settlement and a report earlier this year calling out the lack of progress. That prompted the arbitrator in the case to issue a second remedial order in the case.

New Mexico has ranked consistently near the bottom when it comes to child well-being. The Children, Youth and Families Department, which is supposed to protect the most vulnerable children, has also battled scandals, secrecy, and staffing instability for decades. In the first of a series, KUNM looks deeper into the legacy of these longstanding challenges and how they affect families in the foster care system.

Thousands of New Mexicans would no longer be able to sign up for childcare assistance under a rule proposed by the Children Youth and Families Department…

Research shows early childhood education is one of the most effective ways to prevent drug use later in life. That’s especially important in Rio Arriba…