Santa Fe, NM (KKOB) – The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department is asking for more money for next year’s budget. The department is requesting a 4.7% increase to its current budget in the amount of $422.3 million.
Acting secretary for CYFD, Valerie Sandoval, made the pitch on Tuesday in Santa Fe, to members of the Legislature Finance Committee. The department is asking for $31.5 million to recover money lost from expired federal grants. Another $61 million to purchase clothes, meals and hygiene products for their youth facilities as well as filling hundreds of open positions. As part of her presentation before legislators, Acting Secretary Sandoval reported that CYFD has around 2,130 kids in their care and they are losing staff due to the high case loads. In some cases, employees have to stay in the office with children. The department wants to hire and fill almost 400 open positions.
