Jan. 10—ALBUQUERQUE — Fixing a “broken” New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in behavioral health and again tackling public safety are among the top priorities for House Democrats when the legislative session starts in about a week and a half.
“There is nothing more fundamental to the well-being of families and communities than public safety,” Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, said at a news conference Friday.
Since a one-day special session in July aimed at tackling public safety crumbled amid disagreements between Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, House Democrats have kept open the lines of communication with the Governor’s Office about that issue, said House Speaker Rep. Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque.
“Dialogue has been happening with the executive,” he said. “It’s been happening across the board with public defenders, district attorneys, law enforcement, civil rights organizations.”
He said the issue “will require an all-hands-on-deck approach,” which he said was exactly the point legislative leaders were making prior to the special session being called.
“Now, as to whether or not there’s a grand compromise for one bill — that remains to be seen,” he added.
In an emailed statement, spokesperson Jodi McGinnis Porter said Lujan Grisham looks forward to “reviewing actual pieces of legislation proposed by the House in these areas, including public safety, a top priority for this administration.
“We will continue to pursue changes to the state’s criminal competency laws to ensure that individuals cycling in and out of courthouses are compelled to get the treatment they need rather than repeatedly released back to the streets. We will continue to push for higher penalties for convicted felons in possession of a firearm,” she wrote. “We will continue to fight for historic funding for homelessness and behavioral health to build a system for our friends and families who need it most.”
House Democrats aim to propose an array of public safety measures during the coming session, including increasing penalties for trafficking fentanyl as well as human trafficking; addressing juvenile crime, such as through legislation increasing penalties for gun threats at schools; and tightening drunken-driving laws.
Referring to CYFD as “broken,” Martínez said lawmakers would again attempt to create an independent “Office of the Child Advocate” attached to the New Mexico Department of Justice aimed at securing accountability from the child welfare department.
Lawmakers made a similar attempt during the 2023 regular session. That measure sought to create intensive oversight measures for CYFD, calling for the child advocate’s office to review the services the agency provides to children and families, take complaints and review CYFD’s policies and procedures. The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate.
House Democrats again made reference to plans to propose a measure to remove CYFD as a Cabinet-level position, installing in its place a commission and director tasked with directing the agency. That proposal, which has also been brought forward before, has faced ongoing opposition from Lujan Grisham and CYFD leadership. McGinnis Porter did not address a question about the proposal in her statement Friday.
House Majority Leader Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe, said lawmakers also plan to put $200 million toward bolstering New Mexico’s behavioral health system. A Legislative Finance Committee analyst in November said that although New Mexico has made significant investments in improving its system, it still suffers from sparse provider availability and long wait times for appointments.
In an email, Health Care Authority spokesperson Tim Fowler said the agency is working to expand capacity and reduce wait times, including by expanding the provider network through a new contract with Community Behavioral Health Clinics.
“This will help meet the backlog of patients who are currently seeking treatment and build capacity so that we can adequately accommodate everyone who needs help,” Szczepanski said.
Esteban Candelaria is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. He covers child welfare and the state Children, Youth and Families Department. Learn more about Report for America at reportforamerica.org.