[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6131875,"mediaKeyId","5727757-562fb451606def57390bb8b4a7023759","parentId",5727757,"title","Luna Community College expands behavioral‑health training, seeks mobile lab to deliver rural education","audioSeconds",1031,"startMs",7482040,"endMs",8513620,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727757-562fb451606def57390bb8b4a7023759&start=7482&end=8513","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727757-562fb451606def57390bb8b4a7023759/thumbnail_7482040.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6131875/New-Mexico/Luna-Community-College-expands-behavioralhealth-training-seeks-mobile-lab-to-deliver-rural-education","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131875-3c3db8b33b38982f433f652e7c3259ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770492432&Signature=BSkhgYG9sVcFw5epwuDkD~efhB4beS72nUqYl~bcRnDlGCqW52LJTwjMNSksH4pxFbj96b73xO3ZwDK8L2fWfZpMmsTzLbMFE9vDCkL218SSe-aIZkeFuKSjmZvVI-uHVwNB8EAlE39UCV1n0xCgnX43reB8Ph50e2qgeDQ09XrNPqr9Jf5a3Q9vVmO8Giq-Fe5L7tSIWtppN~VZbaEjRYSitpXMhLd8F6-R4gjuHbNQ9sme3lrprSLNX~k5QjC044WOZAuPR85ZKUvyGvT7ccq07Xfzgo4aeHDV60cPEU~VGQ7lLJb9RqCoBPwjqVPTn~K8nxDIzKDV32ksegUR-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Mexico Legislature","date","2025-07-22T00:00:00Z","article","Carol Linder, president of Luna Community College, told the Legislative Health & Human Services Committee the college has added a Licensed Substance Abuse Associate (LSAA) pathway and maintains short allied‑health courses such as certified nursing assistant (CNA) and emergency medical technician (EMT) to meet local workforce needs.

Linder said the LSAA credential allows graduates with an approved associate degree to reduce clinical hours and enter the workforce more quickly. \"If you actually get an associate's degree in an approved, degree program, then what that means is that you don't have to do as many clinical hours,\" she told the committee, describing how the AAS allied health plus two substance‑abuse classes can put students on an LSAA track.

Why it matters: Presenters said the LSAA helps populate rural and community treatment programs — including an upcoming local residential substance‑use treatment center — with entry‑level counselors who can provide one‑on‑one and group process services under clinical supervision. Linder described partnerships and transfer pathways with regional four‑year institutions for students who seek social work and counseling degrees after the associate level.

Programs and capacity: Linder outlined other offerings at Luna: a CNA course (typically three to four weeks of instruction plus supervised clinical time), an EMT‑Basic program offered with UNM’s EMS Academy, and a community health worker pathway. She said the college has struggled to recruit instructors for some programs but highlighted credit‑bearing technician pathways and local employer partnerships that hire graduates.

Mobile training lab setback: Linder described a planned mobile training lab intended to deliver CNA, dental assisting and other short allied‑health training across the region. The college received approximately $225,000 in state funding, but supply‑chain delays prevented delivery of the vehicle chassis; a purchase order dated May 2022 stalled when the chassis could not be acquired and the vendor pushed delivery into the following year. Linder said pandemic procurement problems led to repeated delays and that the college is seeking to complete the project now that funds were reauthorized.

Local partnerships and student pipelines: Committee members praised Luna’s role in producing local nurses and allied‑health staff and discussed opportunities to expand dual‑enrollment pathways for high‑school students, integrated education‑workforce programs and regional training rotations. Linder and program leaders said the college has placed graduates in local hospitals, clinics and treatment centers and is working with partners to improve credit transfer and four‑year degree progression.

Ending: Linder asked lawmakers to consider continued support for community‑college allied‑health training and to help address instructor shortages and procurement delays for mobile training infrastructure. Committee members thanked Luna staff and said they would look for ways to strengthen pipeline funding and regional training supports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Health and Human Services Committee Jul 22, 2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","Luna Community College described a newly approved Licensed Substance Abuse Associate pathway, short CNA and EMT offerings and a stalled plan for a mobile training lab that college leaders say would bring credential training into rural communities.","taxTitle","Legislative Health & Human Services, Interim, Committees, Legislative, New Mexico","taxId",65389,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6131879,"State recruiter urges coordinated funding and agency capacity to fill nearly 900 provider vacancies",3958,3398460,7356630,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727757-562fb451606def57390bb8b4a7023759&start=3398&end=7356","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727757-562fb451606def57390bb8b4a7023759/thumbnail_3398460.jpg","/articles/6131879/New-Mexico/State-recruiter-urges-coordinated-funding-and-agency-capacity-to-fill-nearly-900-provider-vacancies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131879-9b8d9fb68b41ef1062fa2b62ec8a9919/orig.mp4?Expires=1770492432&Signature=eMmh0zyW4l8aTgPb5LuqZiOjjD3JhwlSxSKFrZSjdwSgxvoP2IUEav0rBfqcGU~qwMmXuW~~-sAfdzDyKzv5rnXUe5B4v~RMSuyqQwnLLBu~Oi1fBlfK4EIsrKTw0UfpYYyCUD-K65nlpBj6ALOhVcPH9Yxq6n~hnoMndQST22NGNsObEhR0UtAlzZkfw5oJjdOUm7KbPAYttRNcjUPRCSTRM7vNjLmfIViGcnSW6b7udiMOwbkVEY74WlysxHml-muAFa8hlqNkWOwZVQ~tdvEPLg8tVzTeQTqC4~A7jqHJUE69Ku8xzAe8YBItnIqmwvAVJVQQ0OMEsIPJl4bgMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jerry Harrison, executive with New Mexico Health Resources, told the Legislative Health & Human Services Committee that health‑care vacancies in the state have increased and called for renewed funding and clearer coordination of recruitment programs.

Harrison said New Mexico Health Resources — a nonprofit that performs centralized recruitment for rural clinics and critical‑access hospitals under a Department of Health contract — \"receive[s], specifically for recruitment, about $372,000 to do what we call, active recruitment.\" He told lawmakers the organization's tally of known vacancies grew from 671 a year earlier to 889 at the time of his presentation.

Why it matters: Committee members heard that shortages affect primary care, behavioral health and specialty coverage across rural and urban communities. Presenters said workforce programs operate in multiple agencies — Higher Education Department, Department of Health, University‑based workforce committees — and that legislators should direct funding to the entities actually doing recruitment and retention work.

Current programs and proposals: Harrison and Melissa Candelaria, New Mexico Health Resources’ chief operating officer, reviewed state programs that support recruitment and retention: the Rural Primary Health Care Act (salary/benefit supplements for safety‑net providers), the New Mexico Health Service Corps (stipend/loan repayment), federal National Health Service Corps placements, and the Conrad J‑1 visa program for international medical graduates. Harrison proposed larger appropriations in several places: restoring Rural Primary Health Care Act funding (he cited historical funding of about $20.5 million in 1981 and a present fund balance near $6 million), increasing funding for the New Mexico Health Service Corps (Harrison proposed $5,000,000), and allocating $100,000 to the Social Work Workforce Consortium.

Melissa Candelaria described New Mexico Health Resources’ recruitment methods and outreach. \"It's right on our website, nmhr.org. Anybody can click on it and submit their health professional vacancies to us,\" she said, describing an online vacancy survey and regular outreach to community health centers, professional conferences and schools. She said the group attends national career fairs and works with residency programs and rural employers to place candidates.

Loan repayment and training: Committee members asked about who receives loan repayment awards. Harrison said recent awards total roughly 500 recipients, with nurses, social workers and physicians among awardees, and that state funding increases have expanded those awards. He noted that loan repayment programs require a full‑time service commitment (typically three years for state programs) and that some national studies on retention are ongoing.

System gaps and technical recommendations: Harrison advocated funding a well‑staffed statewide workforce center to go beyond license counts and measure service access (appointment wait times and time to first appointment). He also noted administrative hurdles when state departments attempt rapid recruitment activities and recommended legislators review which agency structures are best positioned to house targeted recruitment initiatives.

Questions and follow‑up: Lawmakers pressed for more granular data by profession and geography and for studies to explain drivers of attrition. Harrison and Candelaria said they would provide additional data and encouraged lawmakers to consider programmatic appropriations that directly support recruitment operations and loan repayment incentives.

Ending: The committee thanked New Mexico Health Resources for the briefing and invited follow‑up reporting. Harrison urged lawmakers to match program designs to agencies that can execute recruitment and to fund existing programs to improve retention and access across the state.","New Mexico Health Resources told the Legislative Health & Human Services Committee the state faces growing health‑provider shortages — the group's vacancy list rose from 671 to 889 — and urged targeted funding for recruitment, loan repayment and workforce coordination.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6131884,"Alzheimer's Association urges funding for dementia care specialists, highlights costs and new treatments",1802,23755,1825885,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727757-562fb451606def57390bb8b4a7023759&start=23&end=1825","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727757-562fb451606def57390bb8b4a7023759/thumbnail_23755.jpg","/articles/6131884/New-Mexico/Alzheimers-Association-urges-funding-for-dementia-care-specialists-highlights-costs-and-new-treatments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131884-9a07734de0a71179e3f05e4a4a93c31b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770492432&Signature=MRaTc6ezQKqhPXr1lg8g0V6a9yhyi3qbiUcKOHwpX2hu5gDunALYGR2G4Q6BlO0XJG-ky~fIC2DL36JE2ZOOPm96xJ5XiIDpI7rarhrnITlPZZ-ITGf9ypcN2YRWYJi1jV-Yj2LrhYSn6SeFbvCOzZ14BQxO2gI4S6cJTPsHqRrVRMoiVgSw4ccPmm1PcynbLf8QEL-o8QFgBKj8F5rfZ8IMaQRie25dKZM4Ycm8~W-~856trBcRMlPu~SN-FKDAtNEEvVRCNgScD3j2NACcIMhUq2JU9KmU0StAwV89K8YJw9AiJF5Jf0Ji2fqxf1gKHwjZfujdTUG~AcIQaeKjtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Don Smithberg, executive director of the Alzheimer's Association of New Mexico, told the Legislative Health & Human Services Committee that Alzheimer's and other dementias are a growing public health and fiscal problem in the state and urged targeted investments to improve diagnosis and community care.

The association asked the committee to support a dementia care specialist pilot it described as a $1,000,000 appropriation to hire trained specialists who would work with rural, tribal and urban providers and caregivers. \"There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease at this point in time,\" Smithberg said, noting federal and private research efforts and two Food and Drug Administration–approved drugs for early-stage patients.

Why it matters: State presenters and the Aging and Long Term Services Department (ALTSD) told lawmakers that about 12% of New Mexicans age 65 and older currently have a diagnosed form of Alzheimer's, that roughly 67,000 unpaid family caregivers provide much of the day‑to‑day care, and that the unpaid value of that caregiving in New Mexico is approximately $120,000,000 per year. Smithberg said Medicaid spending related to Alzheimer's is \"a little bit north of $300,000,000\" in the state. Committee members were also told that hospital readmission rates for people with dementia exceed 20.5%, compared with typical non‑dementia readmission rates below 5%.

Policy proposal and evidence: Tommy Hernandez, director of public policy for the association, laid out state and federal priorities including expansion of research funding and access to diagnostics and treatment. The group drew attention to House Memorial 53, which requests a cross‑agency work group led by ALTSD and the Department of Health to recommend policy options on public awareness, early detection and risk reduction. Hernandez said the House Memorial’s work group will begin planning July 30 and submit policy recommendations and agency reports as requested by the memorial.

The association proposed an evidence‑based dementia care specialist model, saying a $1,000,000 appropriation could initially fund five specialists, including bilingual and Native language capacity, to deliver provider education, caregiver support and community outreach. Smithberg and Hernandez cited the Wisconsin model (which grew from five to dozens of specialists) and noted recent enactment of similar programs in other states such as Louisiana.

ALTSD role and grants: Angelina Flores Montoya, deputy secretary at Aging and Long Term Services, said the agency plans to house an Office of Alzheimer's and Dementia Care in the relaunched long‑term care division. She described ALTSD efforts including a federal Lifespan Respite Grant that will support education, training, respite and adult day services and said the Office will develop a state plan (covering 2026 forward) and convene the dementia task force created by House Memorial 53. \"We are working on our plan on how we can expand that certification to others in the community,\" Flores Montoya said about staff certification for dementia care supports.

Questions from lawmakers focused on language access, workforce timelines and past state funding. Representative Raybo Caballero pressed the presenters on Spanish‑language capacity; the association said it is training bilingual volunteers and developing bilingual materials but could not give an exact current count. Representative Block and others asked for the basis of the $1,000,000 figure; presenters said it is drawn from other states' pilot budgets and would fund five dementia care specialists with salary, benefits, training and operating costs.

Other federal and state priorities mentioned included additional NIH research appropriations (the association cited a requested $113,000,000 federal increase for Alzheimer's research), the BOLD Act infrastructure funds, and proposals such as the Alzheimer's Screening and Prevention Act and Credit for Caring Act at the federal level.

Supporting services and outreach: Smithberg highlighted a statewide public awareness campaign the association ran with ALTSD — including billboards and other media — and reminded committee members of a 24/7 helpline the association staffs with master’s‑level clinicians. \"There is a magnet that can go on every refrigerator of every elder in the state that has a hotline and it is staffed 24 by 7 by over 200 people,\" he said.

Next steps: The presenters said the House Memorial 53 work group will meet to develop recommendations and the ALTSD task force will convene soon; the association said it will provide training content and technical assistance for any state‑led dementia specialist pilot. Lawmakers asked for more detailed budget breakdowns, implementation timelines and language‑capacity estimates before taking appropriation action.

Ending: Committee members expressed broad interest in the proposals and asked presenters and ALTSD to provide more precise cost and staffing details to inform any appropriation. The presenters left committee members with a near‑term calendar for the work group and ongoing ALTSD planning.","The Alzheimer's Association of New Mexico told the Legislative Health & Human Services Committee that Alzheimer’s prevalence, caregiver costs and new diagnostics justify state investments including a $1 million pilot for dementia care specialists and work called for under House Memorial 53.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Luna Community College expands behavioral‑health training, seeks mobile lab to deliver rural education

State recruiter urges coordinated funding and agency capacity to fill nearly 900 provider vacancies

Alzheimer's Association urges funding for dementia care specialists, highlights costs and new treatments