ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Only about a third of families eligible for child care assistance take advantage of the program in New Mexico - one of the nation’s poorest states, a new report released Wednesday found.
More families could be signing up for the program but the state is doing better than others, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department Secretary Monique Jacobson said about the report looking into child care.
The report by the University of New Mexico Center for Education Policy Research says New Mexico ranked 10th nationally on eligible families signing up for child care assistance. It also says New Mexico is first in the nation in eligible Hispanic families taking advantage of the federally funded program.
“Child care assistance is one of the greatest tools we have in terms of combating child abuse,” Jacobson said.
The report was important because it showed how the state is doing with early childhood program, she said.
“Expanding opportunities for early childhood learning is one of our top priorities - because every New Mexico child deserves a chance to succeed,” Gov. Susana Martinez said in reaction to the report.
The report also said nearly 90 percent of families receiving childcare assistance reported that it enabled them to work.
However, Allen Sanchez, president and CEO of CHI St. Joseph’s Children, an Albuquerque community health organization that advocates for early childhood education, said he believes the need is even greater than state officials suggest.
“We have needy families who are getting turned away,” Sanchez said. “So, I don’t think the funds are really available for child care assistance.”
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Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at https://twitter.com/russcontreras . His work can be found at https://bigstory.ap.org/content/russell-contreras .
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