Committee approves pilot to help grandparents and kinship caregivers navigate services, with one dissent

The House Appropriations & Finance Committee on Tuesday approved House Bill 252 as amended, a pilot program that would have the Department of Aging help grandparents and other kinship caregivers find services, obtain legal assistance for custody or guardianship and receive monthly check-ins and home visits.

Supporters said the measure is already funded in the fiscal plan. "We have 4,000,000 allocated for this program," Representative Herrera told the committee during questions about the bill's budget placement. The committee adopted an amendment striking the bill's internal appropriation language and then voted to recommend the bill for passage as amended.

Why it matters: Sponsors said the proposal targets a long-standing gap for kinship caregivers who often do not qualify for foster-care payments. Representative Abeyta, a cosponsor with direct court and legal experience, told the panel that "Children do better when they're with kin versus in the foster system," and that the bill is intended to help relatives navigate the court and custody process so more children can remain with family.

Details of the pilot: Under the plan presented to the committee, the Department of Aging would hire staff to conduct outreach and navigation, provide monthly home visits and convene training or support meetings for kinship caregivers. Sponsors described optional legal counseling to help caregivers pursue guardianship if they choose. The sponsors also said they have engaged private foundations to supply a match for direct family stipends: the bill contemplates a monthly stipend of $500 per family for up to three years, with foundation partners participating in five counties as the initial pilot.

Questions and implementation issues: Committee members pressed sponsors on eligibility definitions, staffing and county selection. Representative Vincent asked how kinship and "fictive kin" are defined; Herrera described fictive kin as a trusted family friend who steps in when a child would otherwise enter foster care. When asked why the Aging Department was chosen rather than the Administrative Office of the Courts or CYFD (Children, Youth and Families Department), sponsors said grandparents distrust CYFD and that senior centers and aging networks were a better fit for outreach and building caregiver community.

Scope and geography: Sponsors said the pilot will start in five counties—Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, Taos, McKinley and Doña Ana—because foundation partners were already identified in those places; they said the model could expand if additional funders are found. Representative Pettigrew questioned the math behind the stipend and staffing, drawing committee attention to the fiscal impact statement and implementation choices to be made by the administering agency.

Committee action and votes: Ranking member Chatfield moved and Representative Little seconded a motion for a do-pass recommendation on HB252 as amended. Representative Pettigrew recorded the only recorded opposition; the committee otherwise approved the motion and the amendment to remove the bill's appropriation language.

Next steps: The bill was recommended for passage as amended and will proceed through the legislative process with the committee record noting the amendment to strike the internal appropriation language and the committee's do-pass recommendation.