The Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) aims to ensure high-quality home and community-based services and supports are provided to older New Mexicans, including provisions for families and caregivers. Access to legal assistance and advocacy for older adults and adults with disabilities is one of the necessary services and supports required under the Older Americans Act (OAA) and an important aspect of ALTSD’s mission. Currently, New Mexico has one legal services provider serving the Metro Planning and Service Area (PSA), and two providers who have contracts with ALTSD for the state. The provider partnered with the Metro AAA provides monthly and annual reports to the AAA, which are then forwarded to ALTSD. The providers who have contracts with ALTSD have been reporting data to ALTSD monthly and annually since the execution of their contracts. Data has been limited, however, and ALTSD expects that the new SPR/OAAPS data reporting requirements will assist in better identifying legal services needed by New Mexicans and the specific populations needing those services. To that end, ALTSD is requiring Title III new SPR/OAAPS data reporting of all legal services providers, regardless of whether they receive Title III funds.

ALTSD partners with Metro AAA who contracts with the Senior Citizens’ Law Office (SCLO), and ALTSD directly contracts with the Legal Resources for the Elderly Program (LREP) and Pegasus Legal Services (Pegasus) for legal services. Non-Metro AAA is also another potential partner for contracting with legal service providers as contemplated by the OAA.

Constant communication and consultation with AAAs and current and potential legal service providers is necessary for identifying gaps in service delivery and addressing any issues the AAAs and providers are encountering. Monthly and annual reports are provided to Metro AAA and ALTSD, with on-site monitoring happening once a year as well. New reporting requirements will further assist ALTSD and the providers with determining additional legal services needed by older adults and the specific populations needing those services. Providers have received or will receive information and training on the new reporting requirements to assist in their implementation. 

• Support aging in place-providing services in homes and communities
• Support caregivers
• Combat senior hunger
• Encourage healthy and productive aging
• Build and sustain capabilities to meet emerging needs and challenges

At the heart of the Aging and Long-Term Services Department’s mission is the belief that New Mexico’s older adults and adults with disabilities have the right to remain active participants in their communities, to age with respect and dignity, to be protected from abuse, neglect, and exploitation and to have equal access to health care. The Department is a leader in developing programs and building partnerships that support lifelong independence and healthy aging.

Provide accessible, integrated services to older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers to assist in maintaining their independence, dignity, health, safety, and economic well-being, thereby empowering them to live independently in their own communities as productively as possible.