New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a directive mandating the state's child welfare department to seek custody of all newborns exposed to drugs and alcohol in utero. This directive has led to confusion among families and healthcare providers regarding the implications for parents using medications for addiction recovery, such as methadone, and the classification of substances like fentanyl in epidurals. Tribal groups have expressed concerns that the directive does not respect Native sovereignty, highlighting a complicated history of Indigenous child removals.
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New Mexico's Directive on Drug-Exposed Newborns Raises Concerns Among Native Tribes
New Mexico's directive requiring the custody of drug-exposed newborns has sparked confusion and concern among families and healthcare providers. Tribal groups criticize the directive for failing to respect Native sovereignty, referencing a complex history of child removals in Indigenous communities.
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Original Headline
‘Native children belong in Native communities’: tribes decry New Mexico drug-exposed newborn rule
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New Mexico's Directive on Drug-Exposed Newborns Raises Concerns Among Native Tribes