Brian Blalock was formerly the Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department, where he oversaw the Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Children’s Behavioral Health systems. During his tenure, CYFD underwent many reforms, including launching extended foster care in which 95% of all youth were stably housed and connected to therapeutic services, rebuilding the community based mental health services system for youth, creating an Office of Youth Homelessness, decreasing out of state placements by more than half, and increasing initial relative placements from 5% to 40% among others. More information about the Department under his tenure can be found in CYFD’s Impact Report available here. Read his full profile here.