SANTA FE – The New Mexico Health Care Authority recognizes March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, encouraging New Mexicans to celebrate the achievements of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
“People with intellectual and developmental disabilities want the same things as everyone else—choices, autonomy, meaningful relationships, and respect,” said Jennifer Rodriguez, director of Health Care Authority’s (HCA) Developmental Disabilities Supports Division. “By listening to individuals and families, we ensure people have the right supports to achieve their full potential through education, awareness, advocacy, and inclusion.”
The HCA works to provide the right support so people with disabilities can live the lives they choose. Recent efforts to improve services and protections include:
- Supporting House Bill 131 to enhance background checks for caregivers and help ensure the safety of those in their care.
- Issuing an emergency rule to amend the Employee Abuse Registry so people with disabilities, and others who need help with daily care are protected from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
- Increasing Medicaid provider rates for the Developmental Disabilities, Mi Via, and Medically Fragile programs.
- Resuming quarterly stakeholder meetings with providers, advocacy organizations, and state partners to improve service delivery.
- Conducting the first annual client and family satisfaction survey to better address the needs of people with IDD.
Since 1987, organizations dedicated to serving individuals with IDD have recognized March as a time to raise awareness about the needs, challenges, and potential of this community.
For more information on how HCA supports people with IDD and their families, contact the Pre-Service Intake Bureau. Health care providers can find details on offering services here.
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We talk, interpret and smile in all languages. We provide written information to our customers in both English and Spanish and interpretation services are available in 58 languages through our provider, CTS Language Link. For our hearing, and speech impaired customers, we utilize Relay New Mexico, a free 24-hour service that ensures equal communication access via the telephone to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled.