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

Purpose

Offering a platform where family and professional caregivers can voice their concerns and advocate for issues important to them.

New Mexico faces serious challenges in meeting the long-term care needs of elderly and/or disabled residents, who require an adequate and stable supply of caring and well-trained caregivers. Direct caregivers are paraprofessional workers who provide care to New Mexico’s aging and disabled populations and work as personal care assistants, home care aides, home health aides, and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). They work in diverse settings, including private homes, adult day centers, assisted living or other care residences, and nursing homes.

This is a workforce in crisis: because of poor job quality, high demand, and high turnover, home care employers in the state will need to fill a projected 66,300 home care jobs from 2018 to 2028. Wages and compensation are a significant contributor to workforce instability. Home care workers in New Mexico earn a median hourly wage of $10.39, their median annual earnings are $12,800, and 66 percent live in low-income households (PHI with NM Caregivers Coalition, Essential Jobs, Essential Care, 2021).

Other job quality factors that contribute to turnover are inadequate training, limited opportunities for advancement, and insufficient supervision, among others. High job turnover occurs as a result of worker shortages, low wages, few to no benefits, and little recognition for the work performed. Persons who are elderly and disabled suffer the effects of direct care worker shortages and high turnover.

Quality of care is compromised since employers are unable to meet the need for high-quality services for those who are elderly and/or disabled.

Through funding from the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, the New Mexico Caregivers Coalition was formed to advocate for and provide training to caregivers. NMCC is a platform where family and professional caregivers can advocate for issues that matter to them, such as better pay, benefits, and workplace conditions, recognition, networking, and professional development. We’ve already brought together over 4,500 agencies and individuals who share our goal of improving the professionalism and reputation of direct caregivers and supporting their growth and well-being through networking, advocacy, education, and career advancement.

We support and lead legislative initiatives that recognize and value the personal and professional contributions of caregivers, resulting in better-trained, more knowledgeable, and better-respected caregivers.

Caregiver Impact for Care Recipients

Ray Benton, the first Chairman of NMCC

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