Larissa Rascon, CYFD Home Service Practitioner Supervisor
The Higher Education Department’s Children, Youth and Family Department Loan Repayment Program has allowed 133 CYFD workers like Larissa Rascon to enter rewarding careers in social work without being burdened by student loan debt. Says Larissa, “This program is absolutely needed. It’s one of the benefits we look forward to.”
Born and raised in Las Vegas, New Mexico, Larissa explains that she is part of a culture that values family responsibility and learning.
Larissa wanted to contribute to the local youth community, she decided to prepare for a career as a juvenile probation officer, earning her associate degree in criminal justice from Luna, and her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2015 from New Mexico Highlands University. With a young son to support, she moved with him to Albuquerque and set out to find her first job.
Her professional appearance made an impact as she walked in and out of agencies in the city sharing resumes. She caught the eye of a woman who stopped her one day, wanting to know a little more about Larissa after seeing her so often, and offering to help her. She recommended that Larissa try the State Personnel Office, which led to her landing a part-time intake position with CYFD, a job which eventually became full time.
Through her job, Larissa saw her colleagues returning to school, but while she wanted to do the same, she didn’t think she could take it on. Her supervisor encouraged her to apply for the CYFD Loan Repayment Program and follow her goals. COVID had just set in, so Larissa was able to work, study and look after her small son from home in Albuquerque.
In 2023 she finished her master’s degree in social work through NMHU and is now a Home Service Practitioner Supervisor with CYFD. She lives in Rio Rancho, NM and oversees three counties: McKinley, Cibola and Sandoval.
Larissa points out that one of the CYFD Worker Loan Repayment Program’s primary benefits was helping her overcome crippling self-doubt as to whether she could accomplish what she wanted to do. The relief of watching the debt decrease and eventually disappear removed the strain of financial obligations. “I loved that moment when the balance went to zero,” she laughs. “The program empowered me to know I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. I can’t imagine being here without it. It has opened doors.”
Furthermore, she has inspired her now-teenage son to broaden his horizons as he looks toward a college education himself. “This experience has transformed our perspectives,” Larissa says.
The ripple effect of the program is strong among colleagues, but it affects the young people they work with as well, giving them hope of a better future.
Having the loan repayment program removes a great deal of stress and is a significant incentive to recruitment and retention at CYFD.
To learn more about the New Mexico Higher Education Department’s Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Worker Loan Repayment Program, visit hed.nm.gov.