SANTA FE—The Children, Youth and Families Department issued the following statement in response to a state Department of Justice report on CYFD released today:

We are still reviewing the attorney general's report, but it's clear that it underplays or ignores significant, measurable progress the department has made in the last seven months — progress acknowledged by outside partners, the plaintiffs and co-neutrals in the Kevin S. settlement and sister agencies.

The death of any child is a tragedy. We grieve the loss of every life and share in the heartbreak endured by family and friends. 

CYFD did not have the opportunity to review Attorney General Torrez's findings, recommendations, and conclusions before their release today, which prevented CYFD from assessing them and taking any needed immediate corrective action to better protect children. 

The attorney general identified eight systemic issues and CYFD, under the leadership of Acting Secretary Valerie Sandoval and her team, had already taken decisive action on each. This includes: 

Hiring nearly 250 new staff over the past six months, closing thousands of already completed cases to sharply cut caseloads and established new training and support to keep staff.

Working closely with the state Health Care Authority, Department of the Health and the Early Childhood Education to implement the governor's executive order related to the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act, reducing deaths of substance exposed babies under the directive to zero.

Providing new resources for foster families, building out a more specialized care system known as Foster Care Plus for children with high needs and actively recruiting more foster families.

The end of office stays. The practice of children staying in offices ended on 

February 12. A new and collaborative public and private partnership is successfully placing children in safe settings.

Working with law enforcement across the entire state to identify at-risk children and help keep them safe, as law enforcement has authority to remove children from unsafe settings. 

CYFD strongly disputes that we are overusing congregate care, when, in fact, ninety percent of children in foster care are placed in family settings, including kinship, based on their needs. 

CYFD also disputes that we put reunification ahead of child safety. Federal and state law require we attempt reunification absent aggravating circumstances.

Acting Secretary Sandoval has said on numerous occasions that CYFD has zero tolerance for retribution or retaliation.