Albuquerque foster boys home faces uncertain future after contract decision

As many as 12 boys could lose a local group-home placement in Bernalillo County when AMIkids’ contract to run Albuquerque’s boys home expires June 30. CYFD said three boys were still living there this month, and any transition would have to move them into another approved setting, ideally another county placement if the state secures a new operator, or into a foster family or relative placement that could be farther from school, services and daily support.

The home opened in June 2024 as a multi-service residence for males ages 12 to 17. CYFD said the goal was temporary care while youth were matched with resource foster families or reunited with relatives. The department also said the site was supposed to maintain at least a 3-to-1 resident-to-supervisory-staff ratio and offer educational support, psychological services, basic medical care, healthcare coordination and workforce development. AMIkids was contracted for as much as $1.5 million to operate the facility.

The staffing picture turned shaky early. By September 2024, 16 employees had left the home and only six of the original staff remained. The facility had capacity for up to 12 youth and, at one point, only six beds. CYFD said no children had to be moved back to agency offices because of the staff departures, but the turnover underscored how fragile the placement could be if the operator changes again or the home closes outright.

The boys home later became a flashpoint after the April 2025 suicide death of 16-year-old Jaydun Garcia. In April 2026, Garcia’s family sued CYFD, the state Health Care Authority, AMIkids and a former employee, alleging staff failed to intervene as his mental health worsened and did not respond on the day he died, despite warnings from other youths. The case deepened scrutiny of a system already under pressure to keep vulnerable children safe and stably placed.

That pressure now extends beyond one Albuquerque building. CYFD said it will issue a request for proposals for providers to operate three group homes for children in Bernalillo County, while contracts with another provider for two similar facilities, including one for girls, also expire June 30. Former CYFD secretary Teresa Casados said she would have preferred to reach common ground months before leaving the post, a reminder that the contract fight is part of a larger statewide reform debate. For Bernalillo County, the immediate question is whether the state can preserve continuity of care before the current placements, staffing and case plans are disrupted.