NM HEALTH SECRETARY URGES SEN DOMENICI TO MEET WITH
ADAPT & SPONSOR CASA
by Kevin Irvine
New Mexico is working on redirection at the state as well as national
level. The Secretary of NM's Dept. of Health, Alex Valdez, supports
increased access to home and community based services, both in his
department and in a letter which he sent to our US Senator Pete
Domenici. In his letter (drafted by New Mexico ADAPT), Secretary Valdez
expresses his support for CASA and asks to facilitate a meeting between
ADAPT, the Senator and other disability advocates. Additionally, in our
last state legislative session, we pushed a memorial [editor's note:
this is like a legislative resolution] asking for redirection of funds
from nursing homes to community-based attendant services. The memorial
passed through the State Senate, but died in the House when the
legislative session ended. This year we will be following the example
of Green Mountain ADAPT in Vermont and pushing a more comprehensive
version of CASA. We are calling it FREE OUR PEOPLE! The CASA for New
Mexico.