A first look at New Mexico’s newest housing facility for teenage boys

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – KRQE News 13 got a firsthand look at one of the state's newest facilities housing some of New Mexico's most vulnerable teenage boys. "We've had youth that have been very successful," said Kathryn Fleming, Executive Director of AMIKids Albuquerque, a transitional housing facility for teenage boys.

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The building opened in May of this year as a way to keep teenage boys from sleeping in state office buildings. Since they opened, 15 kids have gone through the program and successfully found a foster home or some other form of care. "Each kid is not going to necessarily go to a foster home," Fleming explained. "Depending on their age, they may go back to family, they may go into a transitional living home."

It comes with on-site resources, like schooling programs, and services to teach independent living skills- among others. The facility has several bedrooms, a reading nook, an entertainment area with a game console, and an outdoor space. It also has a classroom. "There's rules, there's restrictions, there's guidelines they have to follow," Fleming added.

Now, the state is looking to open another building similar to that one. It would be an all-female facility and is expected to house about ten girls. "We selected a vendor, and started the process in March for licensing," said Teresa Casados, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Children, Youth & Families Department (CYFD).

And just like the all-boys program, this new building would also be in Albuquerque. "We chose Bernalillo County because they have a large array of services, wrap-around services, that we don't have in every other county," Casados added.

State leaders are hopeful that facility will be open by mid-November.