DEMENTIA CARE SPECIALIST PROGRAM

HB0173

HOUSE BILL 173

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Pamelya Herndon
and
Kathleen Cates
and
Reena Szczepanski

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH; CREATING THE DEMENTIA CARE SPECIALIST
PROGRAM; PRESCRIBING DUTIES TO THE AGING AND LONG-TERM SERVICES
DEPARTMENT; REQUIRING REPORTING; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
[
NEW MATERIAL
] DEMENTIA CARE SPECIALIST
PROGRAM CREATED.--

A. As used in this section:

(1) "dementia" means a disorder that results
in cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular
dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and other
neurocognitive disorders as recognized by nationally accepted
clinical standards;

(2) "dementia care specialist" means a person
employed or contracted by the department or a department-designated provider that is trained to provide dementia-
specific care coordination, early detection support, systems
navigation, caregiver education, community outreach or
workforce training;

(3) "department" means the aging and long-term
services department; and

(4) "program" means the dementia care
specialist program.

B. The "dementia care specialist program" is
created as a program administered by the department to provide
support for persons or families of persons experiencing
dementia.

C. The department shall:

(1) oversee implementation of the program;

(2) employ or contract for dementia care
specialists to serve throughout the state;

(3) require dementia care specialists to
provide:

(a) cognitive assessments and care
planning for persons living with dementia and their caregivers;

(b) assistance with early detection,
including community cognitive assessments and referrals to
diagnostic services;

(c) education, including caregiver
education, skills training and support to reduce stress and
prevent crises;

(d) training to expand dementia
competency among health care providers, first responders,
long-term care workers and community-based organizations; and

(e) assistance in development of
dementia-capable policies and practices within communities,
clinics and institutions;

(4) collaborate with the health care
authority, the department of health, the Indian affairs
department, area agencies on aging, health care systems,
federally recognized Indian nations, tribes and pueblos within
New Mexico and community-based organizations to support the
program;

(5) provide culturally appropriate outreach
and services, including materials in languages commonly spoken
in New Mexico; and

(6) collect data necessary to measure program
performance, including impacts on caregiver stress, early
detection, care transitions, hospitalization, emergency
department utilization and institutional placement.

D. The department shall submit an interim report on
October 1, 2028 and a report on July 1, 2029 on the program to
the governor, the legislative health and human services
committee and the legislative finance committee. The report
shall include:

(1) the number and geographic distribution of
dementia care specialists;

(2) populations served and services delivered;

(3) workforce training activities completed;

(4) outcomes related to early detection, care
transitions, caregiver support and health care utilization;
provided that such information is compliant with the federal
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and
the federal regulations promulgated pursuant to that act;

(5) program cost savings to the state when
data is available; and

(6) recommendations for program continuation
or expansion.

SECTION 2.
APPROPRIATION.--One million dollars
($1,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the aging
and long-term services department for expenditure in fiscal
years 2027 through 2029 to conduct the dementia care specialist
program. Any unexpended balance remaining at the end of fiscal
year 2029 shall revert to the general fund.

SECTION 3.
EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is July 1, 2026.

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