Gubernatorial candidate Sam Bregman

Sam Bregman Campaign News:

ALBUQUERQUE — Gubernatorial candidate Sam Bregman has unveiled a comprehensive policy platform to transform the Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD). Citing a history of instability, staggering staff turnover, and tragic outcomes for New Mexico’s most vulnerable children, Bregman’s plan moves beyond incremental shifts to propose a complete structural overhaul of the agency.

“CYFD was created in 1992 with good intentions, but we are not living in 1992 anymore,” Bregman said. “Today, the agency is overextended and failing to meet the standards our children deserve. My plan starts with honesty about these challenges and lays out a path focused on stability, accountability, and real support”.

The cornerstone of the Bregman plan is the structural division of CYFD into two focused, independent agencies:

• The Child Welfare Agency: Dedicated to abuse prevention, foster care, adoption, and family support.
• The Juvenile Justice Agency: Focused exclusively on rehabilitation and youth detention.

Bregman argues that the current model contributes to burnout and inconsistent outcomes. By splitting the agency, the state can ensure specialized leadership and resources are directed where they are needed most.

Bregman committed to several transparency measures to address persistent systemic failures:

• Public Oversight: Holding five annual public meetings with agency leadership, the legislature, and community members.
• Expanded Authority: Strengthening the State Citizens Advisory Committee (SCAC) by expanding its oversight authority and requiring public reporting on all recommendations.
• Rigorous Metrics: Implementing regular independent case audits and developing clear performance metrics for case timelines and child safety outcomes.

The plan shifts New Mexico from a reactive system to a proactive one by identifying families in crisis earlier. Bregman proposes a coordinated system where courts and law enforcement can refer mothers struggling with addiction to support services before a crisis escalates.

To solve the staffing crisis, Bregman’s “Workforce & Staffing” initiative includes:

• Building a career pipeline through CNM with certification programs and hands-on internships.
• Providing tuition assistance and loan repayment for degrees in social work and psychology.
• Setting manageable caseload targets to prevent staff overload and improve case oversight.

New Mexico remains under active federal oversight due to the Kevin S. lawsuit. Bregman’s plan explicitly aligns all reforms with federal benchmarks to ensure the state finally meets its legal and moral obligations to protect children.

“While progress has been made, the work is far from done,” Bregman added. “We will build a system that protects children and strengthens families the way it was always intended to do”.