New Mexico

Facilities in New Mexico

Residential facilities providing religious, behavioral, and mental health treatment to children exist in all 50 states. Some of these facilities are known to be part of the Troubled Teen Industry, while others have not yet been verified. Any facility where children live and receive care requires additional oversight. This directory helps communities monitor local programs and advocate for accountability.

Reporting abuse in New Mexico

New Mexico deserves a warning its own government has already published. The state Department of Justice reported that CYFD, which licenses congregate care and behavioral health settings, had no written policies or procedures governing how its Licensing and Certification Authority investigates allegations of abuse or neglect in those facilities, and recommended it adopt and publish some. Report anyway - but pair it with the Protection and Advocacy agency and with Statewide Central Intake rather than relying on the licensor alone.

Time limits in New Mexico: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Three years for an injury to the person, which covers assault, battery, false imprisonment and negligence. N.M. Stat. Ann. 37-1-8
If it happened before you turned 18: Yes, but short. A minor has until one year after turning 18 (age 19), or three years from the injury, whichever gives more time. No general extended deadline for physical (non-sexual) child abuse. N.M. Stat. Ann. 37-1-10
If the program was run by or for the government: Against the state or a local public body (including state juvenile facilities): written notice within 90 days of the incident (unless the government had actual notice) and suit within two years. Minority does not extend the two years, except that a child under 7 has until the 9th birthday. N.M. Stat. Ann. 41-4-15(A) (limitation); 41-4-16 (90-day notice)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: The civil SOL for CSA claims against all defendants is age 24 with a 3-year discovery rule. Trafficking: The civil SOL for trafficking claims is age 28. CSAM: The civil SOL for CSAM claims against all defendants is age 24 with a 3-year discovery rule. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: Less certain The clock for child abuse does not start until the child turns 18 or the abuse is reported to law enforcement, whichever comes first. Then five years for a third-degree felony (most first offenses without great bodily harm) or six years for a second-degree felony; abuse causing great bodily harm is a first-degree felony and may have no limit. N.M. Stat. Ann. 30-1-9.1; 30-1-8(A), (B), (I); offense at 30-6-1
Assault: Five years from the offense for felony aggravated battery (a third-degree felony); six years for a second-degree felony. Misdemeanor battery: two years (petty misdemeanor simple battery: one year). N.M. Stat. Ann. 30-1-8(A)-(D); aggravated battery 30-3-5(C)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no criminal SOL for first-degree felonies, including CSA. The SOL is age 23 for non-first-degree abandonment or abuse, criminal sexual penetration, or criminal sexual contact. The SOL for other felonies is 5 or 6 years from commission, and 2 years for misdemeanors. Trafficking: There is no SOL for trafficking of victims under age 13. The SOL is 6 years from the offense for trafficking victims under age 16. CSAM: The SOL for CSAM is 6 years from the offense for second-degree felony violations and 5 years from the offense for third- and fourth-degree felony violations. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. "Less certain" marks a line where the law is unclear or where our reading has not been confirmed, so please treat it with extra care. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, behavioral health boards

Multiple professions

Houses the Counseling and Therapy Practice Board, the Social Work Board and the Psychologist Examiners Board, takes complaints against their licensees and runs the disciplinary proceedings against those who break the practice laws.

Use this whenA licensed counselor, therapist, social worker or psychologist in New Mexico. All three boards share a phone number and a mailing address.

HowUse the Department's boards complaint form.

505-476-4622
File a complaint
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counseling.board@rld.nm.gov
By postNew Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, PO Box 25101, Santa Fe, NM 87504

The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

New Mexico CYFD, Licensing and Certification Authority

Licenses congregate care and behavioral health settings in New Mexico, monitors their programming, and is the body responsible for ensuring trauma-responsive care.

The New Mexico Department of Justice found it had no written policies or procedures for how it investigates abuse and neglect allegations in the facilities it licenses, and no statewide tracking to stop somebody who has abused a child working at another licensed facility. Treat a report here as necessary but not sufficient.

Use this whenA licensed congregate care or behavioral health facility in New Mexico.

HowContact CYFD. Report the same facts to Statewide Central Intake and to Disability Rights New Mexico as well, and keep your own record of what you sent and when.

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Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

New Mexico CYFD Statewide Central Intake

The statutory report line for child abuse and neglect, open around the clock.

Use this whenA child at a New Mexico program.

HowCall.

1-855-333-7233 1-855-333-SAFE. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Disability Rights New Mexico

New Mexico's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities, a right of access to them, and free legal advocacy. Given what the state's own Department of Justice found about CYFD's investigations, this is a more important channel in New Mexico than in most states.

Use this whenA New Mexico program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line.

1-800-432-4682 Main line 505-256-3100.
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National reporting channels, and the same list for other states