CYFD forging ahead with Native American court, kinship care to improve child welfare

It’s nearing the close of normal business hours on a Wednesday afternoon at the Albuquerque, New Mexico, offices of the Children, Youth and Families Department as Brian Blalock munches on a vegan cookie he’s brought from a local ayurvedic restaurant. The CYFD cabinet secretary looks spry in a navy blue suit, even though he’s been at it since 2 a.m.

“This is a perfect job. I love it,” said Blalock, 43, a vegan who sports a bald head and a red beard. “We have a governor who genuinely cares about [child and family welfare] and prioritizes it and only wants us to go faster.”

https://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/2020/02/09/new-mexico-family-services-foster-care-indian-child-welfare-act/4646550002/