[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6290147,"mediaKeyId","2531549-b6e6cdfe794ddfcf676847ca09a900e8","parentId",2531549,"title","Early Childhood officials ask Senate Finance for $5M gap funding, back $100M quality‑care pilot tied to House Bill 71","audioSeconds",620,"startMs",1984000,"endMs",1364000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531549-b6e6cdfe794ddfcf676847ca09a900e8&start=1984&end=1364","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531549-b6e6cdfe794ddfcf676847ca09a900e8/thumbnail_1984000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6290147/New-Mexico/Early-Childhood-officials-ask-Senate-Finance-for-5M-gap-funding-back-100M-qualitycare-pilot-tied-to-House-Bill-71","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290147-91139427591917d7749877e1a6a5609b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776552193&Signature=bogX-q7fE4dkZyZm2C6a2oEPPi6ty3yR4BJzNj3ODg510ARYK~Jrc-RIFlsWGubjKHj9FV4IwRm0FQqCRiSl167~xehWMtNw9kBcuOYp-VvCP9SlrGgjGIx74RCO3xeStLaXqeQRy~2jmaep~8S7DGzBSRJOEy4wamW4y2bDehTWcT1dT2f3xWp2QdBzh3cNz9BKpQhqChnzgEk5O1fv-434zh69Zp56mrCrUU1wH22GoKjbD8IblonYEZ0P2V9fGUH8-b92NhcK-~ygWWC1cdpsvE-Rz5Vpty~gKT3kn3S3Vb~Pflgu-K6693660hs~pNjFZhAO~ETdY-P9U-F7Aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Mexico Legislature","date","2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","article","Elizabeth Graginski, secretary for the Early Childhood Education and Care Department, told the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that the agency is seeking a set of budget increases for fiscal 2026 to expand services, shore up the early‑childhood workforce and modernize program systems.

Graginski said the department has seen “an 8 percent increase in the number of children needing early intervention services” and that “71% of our children, their services are paid by Medicaid,” leaving “a $5,000,000 gap that we are truly hoping that this committee will help us address.” She asked the committee to consider the supplemental request for the Family Infant Toddler program and other items on the agency’s priorities list.

The department asked for additional recurring and nonrecurring funds that include:

- A $5 million supplemental to cover an identified gap in early intervention services for children with developmental delays or disabilities.
- An increase for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (the department currently has $660,000) to expand monthly book deliveries to build home libraries for New Mexico children.
- A tribal investment request: Graginski asked the committee to support an additional $1,000,000 drawn from the governor’s $3,000,000 tribal allotment.
- $2,000,000 for community‑level early childhood system‑building coalitions in every New Mexico community.
- Investments in a wage scale and career lattice to raise pay for early childhood professionals as they pursue credentials ranging from a CDA to bachelor’s degrees.
- Modernization of the legacy FIT Kids payment system: the department seeks $3,000,000 from the trust fund to replace an “8 legacy system” used for payments and manual monitoring.
- A $100,000,000 quality‑childcare pilot (special appropriation) to better pay early‑childhood professionals; Graginski said that pilot is contingent on House Bill 71 passing.

Why this matters: Graginski and senators on the committee framed the requests as supporting parental employment, improving child outcomes and stabilizing a workforce the secretary described as essential. “The focus of this legislature over the last 2 years in improving literacy starts very early,” Graginski said when describing the Imagination Library proposal.

Committee members pressed Graginski on how higher‑quality (5‑star) programs could be financially viable. Senator Woods asked how providers could “become 5 star providers” when a modeled 5‑star center runs a loss. Graginski answered that additional legislative investment would need to close the gap so centers could pay the wages embedded in higher rates; she said a modeled 5‑star center could be losing about $111,000 a year under current assumptions. Graginski noted the department’s market assumptions are based on a 2018 survey updated for inflation and that some providers charge less because families in some communities cannot afford higher private tuition.

On private pay levels, the department reported a monthly private‑pay estimate of $1,113 for a 5‑star spot and $863 for a 2‑star spot (monthly). Graginski also summarized a cost calculator and revenue/expense scenarios the department distributed to the committee showing how group size and staff ratios drive revenues and costs for infant through school‑age programs.

Trust fund and House Bill 71: Committee discussion included the Permanent Early Childhood Trust Fund and proposed distribution changes tied to House Bill 71. A staff member explained that HB71 would change the distribution floor (the transcript discussion described replacing a $250,000,000 floor with $500,000,000 or 5% of a 3‑year market average, with House Bill 2 having about $100,000,000 of that increase appropriated). Committee members and staff described the fiscal mechanics and potential FY26 impacts: if HB71 passes, the department could draw a larger distribution in the near term; if it does not pass, the department would receive a lower amount (the staff described a $298,000,000 figure in the no‑change scenario shown in the department materials).

The department also described workforce supports, child‑care assistance coverage and quality rating impacts: Graginski said the state currently meets “less than 30% of the need” for childcare assistance and wants to increase coverage to “closer to 46%.” She said the department is requesting funds so higher credentials for staff translate into higher pay through the rate structure.

What’s next: Graginski told senators the quality pilot and some other special appropriations are contingent on House Bill 71 moving on the House floor this week. Senators and staff asked for additional private‑pay data and for the department to provide more granular scenarios and cost‑model assumptions.

Ending: The department stood for questions after the presentation; senators indicated they would review the materials and the budget volumes when the House and Senate continue negotiations on trust‑fund language and budget language this week.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate - Finance Mar 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Elizabeth Graginski, secretary for the Early Childhood Education and Care Department, told the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that the agency is seeking a set of budget increases for fiscal 2026 to expand services, shore up the early‑childhood workforce and modernize program systems.","taxTitle","Senate, Committees, Legislative, New Mexico","taxId",29062,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6290143,"Senators press CYFD on foster‑care payments, staffing shortages and federal reimbursement shortfalls",1770,1444000,3214000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531549-b6e6cdfe794ddfcf676847ca09a900e8&start=1444&end=3214","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531549-b6e6cdfe794ddfcf676847ca09a900e8/thumbnail_1444000.jpg","/articles/6290143/New-Mexico/Senators-press-CYFD-on-fostercare-payments-staffing-shortages-and-federal-reimbursement-shortfalls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6290143-5ec422fd7265aebc3684ed0830700709/orig.mp4?Expires=1776552193&Signature=V9nYjB8rGx6uCGTsdDbKCbO4jpHC9l-akjX7k7eX9yUr~a-lyS5O8g85qgpdt3IitK1cpDl7dseiDmlXFH9hIFgRqLq~EMCQFelz3Ssa4VC7k9a9xN7imQ3lH0dAZVSm5WnXs574UJnQwhd~NoQNRB88y1T6CSC8~rBDR7TkONpA-WSyXCpOJ2TBvImIMzJkF233XBYofhZsECk9cid9A5JOLP6AH8PSlMgdYMA5K8eB6Ar~QtS~Qj5y69noPkG64ZAnU4t92OY4JybnTnmXDfJ~BhsvDza2c2FOunUhI9jAFMavG55VWXTbe8yeofMuaELydHmIsTbkUwfGJEeeqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rachel Garcia, the legislative finance committee analyst assigned to CYFD, and Teresa Casados, cabinet secretary for the Children, Youth and Families Department, briefed the Senate Finance Committee on the agency’s fiscal requests and operational concerns, including foster care maintenance payments, federal reimbursements and workforce vacancies.

Garcia told senators the materials in their binders summarized bills affecting CYFD and compared foster care maintenance payments with surrounding states. She said the department’s published maintenance‑rate schedule (last posted last summer) varies by age and level of care and that, if CYFD’s proposal to double rates were adopted, “that would put us at some of the highest rates in the country.” Secretary Casados said New Mexico’s rates were historically low and that the department is studying what costs are included in other states’ rates.

Casados said the department asked for technical assistance on maximizing federal revenue; LFC materials and CYFD staff explained that a prior $200,000 appropriation was largely not spent because philanthropy paid technical assistance contractors and that House Bill 2 would reauthorize that funding and add $500,000 to pursue a deeper review of federal reimbursement opportunities (for example, a contract to analyze billing and drawdown practices).

Senators raised several operational concerns that surfaced repeatedly in the hearing:

- Foster parent payments: Senators reported constituent complaints that some foster and treatment‑foster parents had received incorrect stipend or reimbursement amounts. Secretary Casados said a data file sent overnight to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) had an error code; DFA did not run checks on the file until the issue was resolved and the agency reissued the file. Casados said the reissued batch ran the next day and that affected parents “should have received their payments within 24 hours of that glitch.” She asked senators to provide names of any foster parents still unpaid so staff could follow up.

- Maintenance‑rate comparisons and proposals: The packet includes a state‑by‑state comparison for a 2‑year‑old daily rate; Casados said some publicly available rate tables may not be up to date and noted that New Mexico’s rates were about $200 a month lower than she expected on some categories based on her research.

- Federal revenue shortfall and Family First match: Senators pressed the agency about why New Mexico has not realized federal funds at the levels budgeted. Casados and Garcia said several factors probably combine to reduce federal drawdown: changes in the FMAP calculation, historical underbilling of eligible items (for example, overtime), audit findings about record‑keeping for Title IVA work, and uncollected revenue tied to Family First because prior plans submitted were not approved. Casados said the department had submitted another Family First plan and expected an answer from the federal government in April; she said the plan “has a very good chance of being approved” and in a later exchange said she was “gonna go with a 90% chance.”

- Workforce and caseloads: Casados said CYFD’s overall vacancy rate is about 25% and that vacancy rates are higher in some units (family services 38%, behavioral health about 29%, Office of the Secretary about 30%). She said average caseload targets are 12 (investigations) and 15 (placement) but that actual caseloads “are probably anywhere between 30 and 40.” Senators said the high caseloads contribute to burnout and administrative shortfalls that can affect billing, record‑keeping and timeliness of payments.

Casados described prior workforce and administrative changes since she joined the agency, including a hiring pause to evaluate finances and a reorganization intended to bring administrative services under control. Senators suggested further steps the department could take, including outsourcing recruitment and retention efforts (as some states have done), conducting exit interviews, and deploying case aides to take administrative work off caseworkers’ plates.

Senator Tobias pressed the secretary on several operational failures and cited the Kenneth Kevin s arbitration decision in urging the department to follow remedial directives, including fuller funding for caseworker and case‑aid positions. Casados said the department was not operating outside its budget and that some funds budgeted for FY24 were not realized because federal revenue estimates were higher than actual drawdowns.

Ending: Senators said they would continue to review the CYFD materials, follow up on pending bills and consider budget amendments; the committee will use the department’s additional data and technical‑assistance recommendations as it negotiates final FY26 appropriations.","CYFD officials briefed the Senate Finance Committee on foster care maintenance rates, technical assistance plans and workforce vacancies. Senators pressed the department over delayed or incorrect foster parent payments, high caseloads and prior denials of a Family First federal match.","actionData","errors"]

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Early Childhood officials ask Senate Finance for $5M gap funding, back $100M quality‑care pilot tied to House Bill 71

Senators press CYFD on foster‑care payments, staffing shortages and federal reimbursement shortfalls