New Mexico continues to fail to meet standards in the Kevin S. settlement

[Desmond Milligan 0]

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Years after a lawsuit alleged that New Mexico wasn’t doing enough for children in foster care, the state is still failing to meet a number of agreements in the Kevin S. Settlement. On Tuesday, the lawyers in charge of monitoring the implementation of the settlement told lawmakers the state is not holding up its end of the bargain giving examples like, the state not performing all the mandatory screenings for children in custody and moving kids in custody an average of six times, instead of three, as agreed upon in the settlement.

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“In July, it became very apparent, and Secretary Casados acknowledged that nothing had changed. So in that six-month period, there had been no progress and no improvement. Nobody is more frustrated this than we are,” said Therese Yana, Executive Director of the Native American Center.

Panelists also told lawmakers to expect federal funding cuts to Medicaid and to prepare for those now so that it does not impact the implementation of the Kevin S. Settlement.

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