New Mexico families receive additional resources for summer youth programs

New Mexico (KFDA) - Additional summer resources are now available for New Mexico families interested in summer youth programs.

Families can receive support with a directory of available programs, online and print resources, child care resources and other materials.

This is done so by New Mexico’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Public Education Department, Early Childhood Education and Care Department, and Children, Youth & Families Department.

“Children have always been a top priority of this administration," Governor Lujan Grisham said in the news release. “They must be able to play and learn and eat during the summer, even during the current health crisis. Working together, these state agencies are making sure that happens and happens safely.”

Children, Youth & Families Department will provide food deliveries to communities in need in New Mexico while also prioritizing outreach and support to children and youth in custody throughout the summer.

“Staff are working to connect families and foster parents to summer recreational and educational activities for children and families, many offered through the Early Childhood Education and Care Department and the Department of Cultural Affairs, including options for child care in addition to fun activities, books, arts and crafts and science experiments that can be done at home. For older youth and young adults, CYFD will continue to help with access to housing, jobs, apprenticeships, and preparation for fall academic activities. Increased video and telephonic “visits” with children in foster care and young people previously in CYFD custody who are now living independently will address any emergent needs through the summer months,” the news release said.

CYFD will also continue to support telehealth services throughout the summer.

The Early Childhood Education and Care Department will continue to help families needing child care for children 6 weeks to 12 years of age in centers and homes.

Families who need child care can call New Mexico Kids (1-800-691-9067).

The department is also working to make state government programming available to child care centers.

All of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs’ summer youth programs will continue in a virtual environment.

Museums, historic sites and cultural institution are creating fun, educational activity kits for families as well.

Every Friday, families can check out the “Our Fair new Mexico” nightly concerns, a variety of virtual exhibit tours, DIY activities and engaging video content.

Families are encouraged to check with their local school districts to see if there are any run locally funded, remote or virtual summer school opportunities for children.

Other various resources provided to families in support of social and emotional well-being include Strategies for Trauma-Informed Distance Learning, Supporting Mindfulness in Learning, CASEL Resources: scroll down to see links that support SEL at Home and Building Positive Conditions for Learning at Home (In both English and Spanish).

To top it all off, grab and go meal sites for children will continue throughout the summer.