A new bill signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) should help facilitate legal representation to children, parents, and guardians in child abuse and neglect cases.
The existing law requires courts to appoint attorneys, but there were 1,900 cases filed last year, and under the current system there aren’t enough attorneys secured to meet the demand, KRQE reported.
House Bill 46 will create the Family Representation and Advocacy Commission to oversee the process of hiring and contracting more attorneys.
Rep. Gail Chasey (D-Bernalillo), a former court-appointed attorney familiar with these cases, was one of the sponsors for the bill, according to KRQE. She said more social workers are needed "who can help the families to achieve stability and safety sooner, or for children who need to go to live with other family members, to help the families stabilize sooner and reduce trauma children are experiencing now in the system."
The duties of the commission will be to "provide legal representation for eligible adults under the Fostering Connections Act and for children and parents, custodians or guardians whose children are, or are at risk of being placed, in the legal custody of the Children, Youth, and Families Department," according to the bill's text.
The bill also calls for the appointment of a director, whose duties will be to establish five regional offices to cover all sections of the state and the Bernalillo County metropolitan area.
Funding for the new independent commission will come from more than $6 million allocated by the legislature for court-appointed attorneys, KRQE reported. Appointments to the 13-member commission will be made no later than September 30.
