In economically poor states like New Mexico, the lack of federal funding for education and childcare has had severe consequences. Republican Governor Susana Martinez’s cuts during her time in office from 2011 to 2018, followed by the pandemic, hurt the state even further. New Mexico now ranks 50th overall in the 2022 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count data profile, which takes into account indicators of child well-being, including poverty and education levels.
The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade threatening women’s and people who can get pregnant right to choose puts these statistics in an even harsher light.
“I feel with the recent changes regarding women’s rights to abortion and the recent changes to reproductive health, women need support,” says Martinez. “Low-cost or no-cost childcare is a must. Money should never be a determination of help for a child.”