Disability Rights New Mexico

Filing Period

Oct 1, 2012 to Sep 30, 2013

Signed

Feb 5, 2014

Return Version

2012v2.1

Gross Receipts

$1,840,896

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

Protection and advocacy for individuals with mental illness (paimi): drnm provided assistance to 568 individuals with mental illness. The majority of these individuals were from minority communities and about two-thirds were in residential treatment facilities at the time. Problems addressed in these cases included alleged abuse, neglect (including lack of adequate or appropriate treatment services), or other rights violations. Another 487 individuals received training or information about their rights or about how to access services. In the wake of the state's unprecedented closure of the state's largest behavioral health providers and their replacement by out-of-state providers, drnm attempted to resolve delays or denials of services to numerous individuals, to assess the extent of the systemic impact, and look for solutions. A drnm investigation at the state-run adolescent treatment facility, sequoyah, confirmed problems in seclusion and restraints and triggered a separate state child welfare investigation that confirmed our findings and led to significant revisions to policies and practices under the leadership of nationally recognized professionals brought in at drnm's suggestion. The implementation of medicaid expansion, which drnm promoted through various efforts, will lead to comprehensive behavioral health services becoming available to an estimated 15,000 individuals who now receive very limited services.

Activity 3

Protection and advocacy for individual rights (pair): the pair program at drnm serves individuals who have disabilities other than mental illness or developmental disability. Drnm assisted 321 individuals in this program in fy 2013, addressing accessibility problems, barriers in accessing needed health care and support services, and allegations of abuse or neglect. Pair staff also conducted 11 trainings on disability services and the rights of persons with disabilities, reaching a total of 354 additional individuals. Drnm provided input and advocacy to promote opportunities for consumer self-direction of services in the state's planned new medicaid program, "centennial care," and worked to assure that a new system of assistance for those needing long-term services was developed and implemented. Drnm provided information to key policy makers about the value and importance of medicaid expansion for persons with disabilities in new mexico, and both the legislature and the governor agreed to support the expansion which will go into effect in 2014.

Filer

EIN

85-0276496