Child abuse, neglect strain New Mexico protection program

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — State analysts say New Mexico's child protection system is straining to keep pace with an increase in abuse and neglect cases, despite more public spending. An analysis published Tuesday by the nonpartisan Legislative Finance Committee shows the protective services program for children in state custody has failed to meet seven out of eight performance goals. For the fiscal year ending in June, the program missed benchmarks for reunifying children with parents in under a year, the number of children returning to foster care and the speed of adoptions. The number of children placed in protective care in New Mexico increased by 6 percent to 2,674 during the one-year period ending in June. The state spends 21 percent more on protective programs for children than it did four years ago.