Chapter 32A, Article 26 NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Fostering Connections Act".
History: Laws 2019, ch. 149, § 1; 2020, ch. 52, § 3.
ANNOTATIONSThe 2020 amendment, effective May 20, 2020, changed "Sections 1 through 10 of this act" to "Chapter 32A, Article 26 NMSA 1978".
Temporary provisions. — Laws 2019, ch. 149, § 14 provided:
A. By October 1, 2020, the children, youth and families department shall:
(1) submit an amendment to the state plan to seek federal funding for newly eligible adults for whom an adoption subsidy or a guardianship assistance agreement was in effect if the child had attained sixteen years of age before the agreement became effective or for whom a state-funded guardianship assistance agreement was in effect if the youth had attained sixteen years of age before the agreement became effective;
(2) implement the fostering connections program pursuant to the provisions of the Fostering Connections Act and maximize the children, youth and families department's access to federal funds for extended guardianship assistance and extended adoption assistance for the benefit of eligible adults participating in the fostering connections program; and
(3) adopt and promulgate rules as needed to carry out the provisions of the Fostering Connections Act.
B. As used in this section, "eligible adult" means an individual who meets the eligibility criteria for participating in the fostering connections program.
Laws 2019, ch. 149, § 15 provided that the secretary of children, youth and families shall convene a work group composed of experts in children's services and juvenile justice to collect information and make recommendations on including in the fostering connections program youth who have been adjudicated under the Delinquency At. The work group shall examine and report to the secretary of children, youth and families and the legislature by November 1, 2019;
A. the potential number of young adults who could be included in the fostering connections program;
B. the processes by which young adults eligible to participate in the fostering connections program could be identified;
C. procedures for assisting young adults to become eligible for the fostering connections program; and
D. the potential placement and service array that would be required for including young adults who have been adjudicated under the Delinquency Act in the fostering connections program.