2026-2027 Lifespan Caregiver Respite Voucher

Who qualifies? Your loved one must live in New Mexico and have dementia, Parkinson’s, a brain injury, or another neurodegenerative condition. They must need assistance with at least two daily activities and cannot be receiving other paid care. As the primary caregiver, you must provide more than 16 hours of care each week.
Each household may receive one voucher, and it must be used within 90 days.

Cuidadores, ustedes también necesitan un descanso.
¿Quién califica? Su ser querido debe vivir en Nuevo México y tener demencia, Parkinson, una lesión cerebral u otra enfermedad neurodegenerativa. Debe necesitar asistencia con al menos dos actividades diarias y no puede estar recibiendo otros servicios de cuidado pagados. Como cuidador principal, usted debe brindar más de 16 horas de cuidado por semana.
Cada hogar puede recibir un solo vale, y debe usarse dentro de 90 días.

Contact NMCC

Legislative Advocacy

The New Mexico Caregivers Coalition has many goals to improve the lives of Caregivers in New Mexico during the 2025 Legislative Session.

To effectively address the shortage of Personal Care Services (PCS) caregivers, we are advocating for a 15% wage increase for PCS caregivers who provide in-home care to elderly and disabled individuals. Current rates are too low, and caregivers struggle to make ends meet. We are asking the Health Care Authority (HCA) to collect data on the PCS workforce, including wages, turnover, and the number of workers. This data would be used to make the case for more funding for PCS in the future.

In April 2023, Governor Lujan Grisham signed House Bill 395, a bill that aims to improve the working conditions and compensation of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who work with individuals with developmental disabilities in New Mexico. This Bill seeks to improve the quality of care for individuals with developmental disabilities by ensuring that DSPs are fairly compensated and supported. Read HB 395 in its entirety here.

Key points of the bill include:

  • Data Collection: The Health Care Authority will collect data on DSPs, including demographics, wages, benefits, and employment trends.
  • Rate Determination: The Health Care Authority will conduct a biennial cost study to determine fair reimbursement rates for service providers, considering factors like minimum wage increases and DSP vacancy rates.
  • Funding: The bill requires the Health Care Authority to include sufficient funding in its budget to implement the recommended reimbursement rates and serve more individuals with developmental disabilities.

For more information, contact New Mexico Caregivers Coalition, info@nmdcc.org or 505-710-1024.

We Seek To:

  • Empower caregivers to deliver competent, compassionate, person-centered care;
  • Adopt a humane, holistic, and consumer-centered approach to care;
  • Seek solutions that benefit caregivers so they may better serve persons who are elderly and those with disabilities;
  • Support the right of care workers to advocate for themselves and care recipients;
  • Support policies for adequate compensation and benefits for caregivers; and
  • Support policies for the training and advancement of caregivers.
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