Kids, Foster Care & Kinship Guardians Last year, three important bills responded to critical needs in our communities. All three passed the Senate and House unanimously and were signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Northern New Mexico has the highest rates of informal kinship guardians in the nation. Kinship care is the full-time care and nurturing of a child by a relative or someone with a significant emotional connection to the child when parents are not able to provide care. Kinship care exists for children both inside and outside of the child welfare system. » Senate Bill 146, introduced by Senator Linda Lopez and Representative Susan Herrera: a Voluntary Placement Agreement allows a subsidy to be paid for youth by CYFD and enables children to move to a guardianship without the trauma of being removed from relatives and friends that they love and schools and communities that they know. Relatives can contact CYFD and get monetary help without having to enter into the formal foster care system. Representative Susan Herrera and her family REPRESENTATIVE NM HOUSE DISTRICT 41 Susan Herrera Sustaining Strong Communities » Senate Bill 168, introduced by Senators Mike Padilla and Candace Gould: ensures that older children who age out of the foster care system at age 18 are still eligible for housing and supports up to age 21 if the guardian or adoptive parent is no longer able to provide care. Vote Democrat. Vote with Your Values. » Senate Bill 130, introduced by Senator Linda Lopez: requires that students who have completed course work prior to transferring to another public school receive credit, even if a grading period has not occurred. Young people in the child welfare system experience more moves than their peers that often result in lost credits and lower graduation rates. Democratic wins in Northem New Mexico will provide a connection to the national blue wave addressing climate change, health care, justice and civil rights, and education. For more information and support, contact Taos Childcare Bureau 575-751-9631 PAID FOR BY WORKING TAMIUES FOR SUSAN HERRERA, KENDRA ZACHARIAS, CAMPAICN TREASURER Kids, Foster Care & Kinship Guardians Last year, three important bills responded to critical needs in our communities. All three passed the Senate and House unanimously and were signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Northern New Mexico has the highest rates of informal kinship guardians in the nation. Kinship care is the full-time care and nurturing of a child by a relative or someone with a significant emotional connection to the child when parents are not able to provide care. Kinship care exists for children both inside and outside of the child welfare system. » Senate Bill 146, introduced by Senator Linda Lopez and Representative Susan Herrera: a Voluntary Placement Agreement allows a subsidy to be paid for youth by CYFD and enables children to move to a guardianship without the trauma of being removed from relatives and friends that they love and schools and communities that they know. Relatives can contact CYFD and get monetary help without having to enter into the formal foster care system. Representative Susan Herrera and her family REPRESENTATIVE NM HOUSE DISTRICT 41 Susan Herrera Sustaining Strong Communities » Senate Bill 168, introduced by Senators Mike Padilla and Candace Gould: ensures that older children who age out of the foster care system at age 18 are still eligible for housing and supports up to age 21 if the guardian or adoptive parent is no longer able to provide care. Vote Democrat. Vote with Your Values. » Senate Bill 130, introduced by Senator Linda Lopez: requires that students who have completed course work prior to transferring to another public school receive credit, even if a grading period has not occurred. Young people in the child welfare system experience more moves than their peers that often result in lost credits and lower graduation rates. Democratic wins in Northem New Mexico will provide a connection to the national blue wave addressing climate change, health care, justice and civil rights, and education. For more information and support, contact Taos Childcare Bureau 575-751-9631 PAID FOR BY WORKING TAMIUES FOR SUSAN HERRERA, KENDRA ZACHARIAS, CAMPAICN TREASURER