Although the educational and financial landscape has shifted over the past 10 years, many of the issues surrounding special education revealed in LFC’s 2013 program evaluation remain.

Healthcare professionals are developing more than a thousand safe care plans a year for new mothers giving birth to babies exposed to drugs and other substances, but many substance-exposed newborns are falling through the cracks and follow-up for those mothers with plans is often ineffective.

A delay in signing contracts with new Medicaid managed care organizations has slowed progress on program improvements, including provisions that would hold the organizations accountable for ensuring patient access to doctors.

Given the magnitude of New Mexico’s substance and alcohol use problems and its investments of more than $800 million in treatment, the state is spending relatively little in upstream interventions and prevention efforts.

Early childhood services can lead to positive outcomes, and investments have increased over 50 percent since FY23; however, challenges with program implementation and oversight remain.

New Mexico has invested substantially in higher education financial aid, but while enrollment is up, many students don’t make it to graduation.

Home visiting, parent education and supports for families, likely reduces child maltreatment and improves parenting, but participant often drop out and effectiveness may depend on the home visiting model used.