Youth Development Program

Mission Statement:

We the staff of the Santa Fe County Youth Development Program are dedicated to changing the lives of our youth by providing a safe, structured, caring and learning environment. Through meaningful interaction and role modeling, we will develop in our children the character traits of honesty, respect, and responsibility. Given their continued desire and commitment to develop, our youth will become productive members of society.

Provides training and detention services for our incarcerated youth. Our Detention program serves approximately 40 pre adjudicated juveniles from Santa Fe and surrounding Counties, Pueblos, and the US Marshals Service.
The training school program serves approximately 80 adjudicated and behavioral health identified juveniles from around the country. This is a long term program where the length of stay averages 18 months. The majority of the residents are detained for the US Bureau of Prisons, while others come to us from Tribes in Arizona and Colorado. Approximately 90% of this Population is Native American.

Both programs offer a variety of services depending on the individuals’ needs. Key services include:

  • Education (Public Schools, GED, Community College)
  • Vocational Training
  • Individual, Family and Group counseling
  • Life Skill Training (Anger Management, Conflict Resolution)
  • Independent Living Skills
  • Native American Programming (Inipi/Sweat Lodge)
  • Recreation
  • Religious Services
  • Medical, Dental, and Mental Health Services
  • Community Volunteers, etc.

Both programs are highly structured and extremely staff intensive with a staff to client ratio of 1 to 8. Residents are assigned to supervisors or case managers and a therapist, if necessary, who support and assist the youth throughout their incarceration. The staff works closely with each juvenile’s Probation Officer, Social Worker, Guardian and Family to ensure that the juvenile receives the appropriate course of treatment while in the facility and appropriate referral information upon discharge.

Contact Information

Santa Fe County Youth Development Program
4250 Airport Rd
Santa Fe, NM 87507
(505) 424-5600
(505) 471-7062 Fax
Sam Duran, Youth Services Administrator
sduran@co.santa-fe.nm.us