近距离内射合集

Since the New Mexico Department of Justice released its recent investigation into Children, Youth and Families Department failures, the idea of removing CYFD from the governor鈥檚 authority has been gaining traction. I know in theory that removing political influence from CYFD sounds good, but I caution you that this short-sighted, knee-jerk response could prove problematic.

If you seek to isolate CYFD away from political influence because you don鈥檛 trust the Cabinet secretary charged with leading the department, you are blaming the wrong person.

There are currently six candidates running to be our next governor. Fixing CYFD should be their No. 1 issue.

I agree with the Kevin S. Settlement Agreement co-neutrals who have said in no uncertain terms:  These national experts have knowledge and a proven history of turning around dysfunctional child welfare agencies. Listen to them.

No issue 鈥� nor state agency 鈥� exists in a vacuum. To improve outcomes for children in state custody, our governor must improve the entire child-serving system. Think chain-reaction machine. It鈥檚 all interconnected.

The vast majority of children in state custody are on Medicaid, so CYFD must constantly coordinate with our Medicaid state agency: the New Mexico Health Care Authority. Treatment foster care, behavioral health services and residential hospital programs are also under HCA's oversight. HCA and CYFD need to work as twin sisters, and to do that, they need the same parent.

HCA is just the beginning. CYFD needs to work with the Department of Health, which currently runs Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Program navigation; the Early Childhood Education and Care Department runs home visiting and universal child care; law enforcement; the Public Education Department; General Services for reimbursements to employees and foster families; and the state鈥檚 Human Services Department and Higher Education Department for increasing and supporting the workforce pipeline.   

While ensuring our department follows modern, evidence-based and data-driven best practices, it鈥檚 worth mentioning that not one other state has removed its child welfare department from its governor鈥檚 office. Not one. Nada. Zilch.

As a former foster parent, I know firsthand what an unconscionable failure this agency has been, and how impatient and desperate we are for something to change. But, as someone working in this space daily, I also know that the last thing this agency needs is more uncertainty and instability.

Solutions exist 鈥� but please, this isn鈥檛 it. There is a fragile balance here, and lives are at stake. Do not be shortsighted on this. We don鈥檛 need to separate CYFD from the governor鈥檚 control. What we need is a governor who takes more control by taking to heart the chain reaction and interconnectedness of all child-serving agencies.

As the Kevin S. co-neutrals have stated, all state agencies must work together, and the most effective way to do this is to have an 鈥渆ngaged and committed governor, and focused and motivated agency leadership.鈥� 

This agency needs radical transparency, immediate culture change and most importantly, experienced, committed leadership, beginning with the governor. The era of CYFD existing in a consequence-free environment must end.

The problems facing CYFD are not insurmountable. We deserve an accountable leader who understands child welfare, will address the toxic culture, professionalize the workforce, respect volunteer foster parents, and serve the children and families whose lives depend on it.

We deserve a governor who will commit to being hands-on and focused: an "engaged and committed governor." One who will commit to reading the reports from the NMDOJ, the Legislative Finance Committee and Kevin S. co-neutrals. One who will consult with experts and take their recommendations to heart. One who will seek to learn, not to pretend to know.  

If you want to fix CYFD, elect a governor who is serious about a hands-on approach rooted in evidence-based safety science, believes that solutions exist, and has the skills necessary to kill a toxic culture. Our children deserve better. Let鈥檚 give it to them.

Maralyn Beck is a former volunteer foster parent, and the founder and executive director of New Mexico Child First Network. She is an Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellow, and a member of the AEI Child Welfare Innovation Working Group.