New Mexico legislation · 2026 Regular Session
New Mexico HB65: CYFD SHORT-TERM STABILIZATION PILOT PGM
Status: Passed one chamber, February 17, 2026
What the bill says
An act relating to child welfare; amending the children, youth and families department act to create the foster care plus pilot project; directing the children, youth and families department and the health care authority to collaborate to contract with appropriate clinical experts to develop and implement the three-year pilot project in dona ana, chaves, san juan, mckinley, bernalillo, santa fe and eddy counties; providing that the pilot project will serve eligible children in state custody and their families and will include enhanced foster care services; providing eligibility requirements…
From the committee substitute text, February 4, 2026:
AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE; AMENDING THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT ACT TO CREATE THE FOSTER CARE PLUS PILOT PROJECT; DIRECTING THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT AND THE HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY TO COLLABORATE TO CONTRACT WITH APPROPRIATE CLINICAL EXPERTS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE THREE-YEAR PILOT PROJECT IN DONA ANA, CHAVES, SAN JUAN, MCKINLEY, BERNALILLO, SANTA FE AND EDDY COUNTIES; PROVIDING THAT THE PILOT PROJECT WILL SERVE ELIGIBLE CHILDREN IN STATE CUSTODY AND THEIR FAMILIES AND WILL INCLUDE ENHANCED FOSTER CARE SERVICES; PROVIDING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS; ALLOWING PLACEMENT GAP INCENTIVES; REQUIRING EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENTS AND TREATMENT MODELS; DEFINING TERMS; PROVIDING FOR SPECIALIZED INCENTIVE TRACKS; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO: .233730.2 wen = lairetam derocsrednu eteled = ]lairetam detekcarb[ HHHC/HB SECTION 1. A new section of the Children, Youth and Families Department Act is enacted to read: "[NEW MATERIAL] FOSTER CARE PLUS PILOT PROJECT CREATED-- PURPOSE--PILOT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS--ELIGIBILITY-- ADMINISTRATION.-- A. The "foster care plus pilot project" is created within the department as a three-year pilot project for children in state custody and their families within Dona Ana, Chaves, San Juan, McKinley, Bernalillo, Santa Fe and Eddy counties. The purpose of the pilot project is to provide children with in-home or home-like placements along with short-term stabilization support and services and …