Children, Youth and Families Department performance
Nearly half of likely voters disapprove of the governor’s handling of CYFD, with few approving. The budget still directs added funds to juvenile justice within CYFD because more children are detained, while child welfare remains a flashpoint in the gubernatorial conversation about agency reform and accountability.
How should New Mexico respond to concerns about CYFD and child welfare?
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Sources
Emerson Polling — https://emersoncollegepolling.com/new-mexico-2026-poll
Nearly half of voters (49%) disapprove of the job Governor Lujan Grisham is doing running the Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD), while 18% approve, and 28% are neutral.
Governor’s office / Source New Mexico — https://sourcenm.com/2025/12/22/nm-governors-office-proposes-11-3-billion-state-budget-and-increased-spending
It also recommends directing $16.5 million to the Children, Youth and Families Department’s Juvenile Justice Service Division because of the increased number of children detained across the state.
Source New Mexico — https://sourcenm.com/2026/09/24/new-mexico-election-2026-new-mexico-governor
She’s also dealt with challenges, including rulings against her gun control measures, criticism for her high levels of emergency spending and a troubled child welfare agency.
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Overhaul CYFD with more prevention, family support, and less youth incarceration
- Increase CYFD funding while demanding transparency and juvenile justice reforms
- Keep funding stable and require clearer performance metrics and oversight
- Shift focus to accountability, staff discipline, and firmer juvenile consequences
- Scale back the agency’s scope and emphasize local/private alternatives over state CYFD