HM 94 — GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 94REQUESTING 53RDTHAT LEGISLATUREA -TASK STATEFORCE OFBE NEWEXTENDED MEXICOTO -STUDY SECONDAND SESSIONRECOMMEND ,POLICY 2018CHANGES INTRODUCEDTO BYEXPAND RodolophoTHE “Rudy”AVAILABILITY S.OF RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN.

Martinez7 WHEREAS, in 2014, the children, youth and Javierfamilies Martínezdepartment 6published 8a 10study Aon MEMORIALthe REQUESTINGavailability THATof Aresources TASKto FORCEgrandparents BEraising EXTENDEDgrandchildren, TOwhich STUDYstudy ANDrevealed RECOMMENDa POLICYdearth CHANGESof TOpublic EXPANDservices THEand AVAILABILITYresources OFavailable RESOURCESto ANDgrandparents ASSISTANCEraising FORgrandchildren GRANDPARENTSand, RAISINGin GRANDCHILDREN.particular, to grandparents who lack legal custody of their grandchildren;

15and WHEREAS, in 2014, the children, youth and families department published a studytask onforce thewas availabilityconvened ofin resources2015, e2016 tand 172017 to grandparentsstudy raisingand grandchildren,recommend whichconcrete studypolicy revealedchanges athat wcould lbe nimplemented dto 18expand dearththe availability of publicresources services and resourcesassistance available to = = 19 a l grandparents raising grandchildrengrandchildren, and,including infinancial particular,resources; to i a e r 20 grandparents who lack legal custody of their grandchildren;

and a t m m 21 WHEREAS, a task force was convened in 2015, 2016 and 2017 d r e 22 to study and recommend concrete policy changes that could be c e s k 23 implemented to expand the availability of resources and e a n b 24 assistance to grandparents raising grandchildren, including u [ financial resources;

and assistance with food, .210253.2 housing, medical care, child care, transportation and education;

and WHEREAS, the task force recommended further study of the 6 issue of placement of children with caregivers, including HM 94 grandparents, by the children, youth and families department Page 1 and the lack of information and support for those caregivers;

and WHEREAS, the task force also recommended further study of the issue of the denial of public benefits to children being 12 raised by grandparents and other caregivers due to inaccurate information from and lack of training of case managers at the income support division of the human services department;

and WHEREAS, the recommendations included extending the task force for an additional year to continue its studies and refine e e 17 its recommendations;

e e n d 18 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF = = l ] 19 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the task force, a l r i 20 including members who represent New Mexico voices for children, t e a t Pegasus legal services for children, the New Mexico coalition m m 21 e d of educational leaders, court appointed special advocates for r e 22 c e r c 23 children, the New Mexico parent-teacher association, parents e a n b 24 reaching out, the AARP, disability rights New Mexico, the u [ developmental disabilities planning council and Las Cumbres .210253.2 - 2 - community services, incorporated;

and two 6 members from the HM 94 Page 2 general public, be extended;

and 12 programs relating to medical care, child care, transportation and education;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the human services department, the children, youth and families department and the aging and long-term services department be requested to coordinate and e e 17 provide staff support to the task force;

and e e n d 18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its = = l ] 19 findings and recommendations to the legislative health and a l r i 20 human services committee and the legislative finance committee t e a t no later than November 2018;

and m m 21 e d BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be r e 22 c e r c 23 transmitted to the secretary of human services, the secretary e a n b 24 of children, youth and families and the secretary of aging and u [ long-term services.

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