Laws & Policy

We implement policy advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels. Our work includes policy development, lobbying, coalition building, and community organizing.

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Focus areas

Judicial Authorization of Psychotropic Drug Administration to Foster Children (2017)

SB 253 (Monning)

This investment allows counties to closely monitor requests for prescriptions for youth in foster care that exceed the state guidelines.

Caregiver Access to Education Records (2017)

SB 233 (Beall)

This law improves the coordination of educational services between caregivers of foster children, Local Education Agencies, Child Welfare Agencies, and education rights holders.

School Navigators for System Involved Students (2017)

HB 411 (Gallegos)

This law enables each school district in New Mexico to provide continuous educational support to system-involved students.

Educational Access for System Involved Students (2017)

SB 213/HB 301 (Kernan)

The bill ensures that students in New Mexico's care and students experiencing homelessness have a smooth transition between schools with full access to programs and services that are available to all other students.

Foster Youth Education Success Program (2017)

HB 2665

This law established Arizona's Foster Youth Education Success Fund and expands NCYL's FosterEd: Arizona program.

Oversight of County Mental Health Services for Foster Youth (2016)

SB 1291 (Beall)

This bill strengthed the oversight and accountability of the full range of mental health service delivery, from prevention through crisis, for foster youth.

Reproductive Choice and Parental Notification

The California Confidential Health Information Act of 2012 (SB 138)

Allows young people to better be able to take ownership over their own bodies and reproductive decisions.

The Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016

Proposition 57

End prosecutors' ability to charge youth as adults without a transfer hearing.

Prescriber Oversight Legislation (2016)

SB 1174 (McGuire)

Enables investigations of physicians who frequently prescribe over the recognized safety parameters for children.