Agenda for New Mexico's
Children Progress Report
Click Here For a Copy of the NM Children's Agenda
Contact the Legislature at
http://legis.state.nm.us
PUT KIDS FIRST: AGENDA FOR NEW MEXICO’S CHILDREN 2004 NM LEGISLATIVE
ELECTION
The Agenda for New Mexico’s Children was created to assure that our elected official make the well being of our
children their highest priority and to hold them accountable for specific actions that would improve the lives of our kids.
Under the leadership of the New Mexico Pediatric Society and with funding from the McCune Charitable Fund, along
with parents, child advocacy groups, state and local governmental agencies through out the state, we developed the
nine point agenda. The agenda was presented to all three 2002 gubernatorial candidates.  Since that time both
Governor Richardson and his administration and the New Mexico State Legislature have addressed many of the points
on the agenda.

Now, we want to make the well being of our children the highest priority in the upcoming state legislative races. The
New Mexico Pediatric Society hosted meetings across the state to inform and educate voters about issues concerning
New Mexico’s children and engage the candidates for the state legislature so they are accountable for specific actions
that would improve the lives of our kids.

Our meetings were held in the following communities: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Las Vegas and Santa Fe. At each of
these meetings we presented the Agenda for New Mexico’s Children to the community, asked for their input and invited
local legislative candidates to support the Agenda.
The Agenda for New Mexico's Children
Preamble:    New Mexicans expect our elected officials to make the positive development of our state’s
children their highest priority.  The core of any successful policy for children is supporting their
families in providing a healthy, nurturing start to life.  This Agenda draws attention to the needs of
children and families that must be addressed if all our children’s futures are to be secure.  We hold
our elected officials accountable for acting on The Agenda and will release an annual report to the
public on their progress.
Leadership:  Create a Children’s Work Group within the Governor’s Cabinet, possibly chaired by
the Lieutenant Governor, with appropriate staff support, to establish specific objectives,
coordinate services, create policies across departmental lines and maximize the use of available
funds for children’s services.  There must be a functioning mechanism within State Government to
continually refocus efforts on children’s needs.
Education:  Establish an official State goal of  literacy for all New Mexico’s children by the end of
the third grade and finance expanded early childhood care and education strategies, enriched
after school programming and family literacy efforts to reach it.
Health Care:  Charge the new Cabinet Children’s Work Group with developing a plan to provide
health care coverage that guarantees access to appropriate services for all, especially vulnerable
populations such as immigrants, children with special health needs and those living in rural and
other under-served areas.
Health Care:  Re-establish income eligibility level for the State Children’s Health Insurance
Program at 235% of the poverty level, without reducing current benefits.
Participation:  Establish a network of regional youth councils and an umbrella State Youth Council.
The councils will be a representative voice for youth, advising the Governor, the Legislature and
the Cabinet on issues that affect young people.
Poverty Reduction: Tie enrollment for food stamps and Medicaid to the State’s income tax filing
process and make enrollment automatic with client permission.
Behavioral Health:  Implement the recommendations of the Behavioral Health Advisory Committee,
especially to expand funding, develop needed services and recruit and train behavioral health
providers to serve this State’s children.
Protection:  Fund and undertake a review of the Children’s Protective Services Division’s
Statewide Central Intake System to insure timely, adequate responses are being made to all
reports of abuse or neglect of children.
Juvenile Justice:  Declare a moratorium on additional juvenile facilities and reduce the number of
youths in correctional institutions by shifting money from them to positive youth development,
prevention, diversion and rehabilitation efforts.
Agenda for NM Children
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