The state announced the remaining recipients of the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund last year. The program, funded as part of the 2023 legislative session, provided $80 million in total to 56 organizations based in rural parts of the state.
The Rural Health Care Delivery Fund, a bill championed and signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham earlier this year, provides grants to health care facilities in 28 of the state’s 33 counties. The grant money will cover operating losses and will be for between one and five years of operation. The program provides funds aimed at expanding existing and creating new health care services.
Applications were open to qualified Medicaid providers who provide services including but not limited to primary care, behavioral health, maternal child health services, and specialty care.
An initial group of 11 rural health care organizations received $18 million last fall. The state announced the second round of grants to 45 rural health care organizations on Tuesday. Those 45 will receive the remaining $62 million from the fund.
Rural hospitals have been struggling and that, in turn, is putting greater pressure on urban hospitals to serve both urban and rural communities, Troy Clark, executive director of New Mexico Hospital Association, previously told NM Political Report.
“The Rural Health Care Delivery Fund is making sure that no matter what part of New Mexico you call home, you have access to high quality and affordable health care,” said Lujan Grisham through a news release.
The announced awardees, spanning various regions of New Mexico, are:
Multi-region:
- Elite Methadone Clinic: Behavioral health and substance use services serving Sierra, Doña Ana, Socorro, Grant, Catron, Otero, Lincoln, Eddy, and Luna counties.
- Presbyterian Healthcare Services: Pediatric cardiology serving Chaves, Curry, Grant, and Taos counties.
- Meridian Behavioral Health Inc.: Behavioral health serving Cibola, Lea, and Guadalupe counties.
- Presbyterian Medical Services: Community health workers serving McKinley, Cibola, Luna, Otero, Torrance, and Quay counties.
- Hospital Services Corporation & American Medical Response: Emergency behavioral health transportation in 28 rural counties.
- MECA, LLC: Autism services in 28 rural counties.
Northeastern New Mexico:
- Mora County Ambulance Service: Ambulance services in Mora County.
- De Baca Family Practice Clinic: Dental services serving De Baca and Guadalupe counties.
- San Miguel County: Behavioral health and substance use services serving San Miguel, Mora, Colfax, Harding, and Guadalupe counties.
- CHRISTUS St. Vincent: Primary care, obstetrics, behavioral health, oncology, and orthopedics serving Mora, Guadalupe, and Harding.
- Krossroads Integrative Health and Recovery Solutions, Inc.: Behavioral health and substance use services serving Colfax, Union, San Miguel, Mora Guadalupe, Taos, and Harding counties.
Northwestern New Mexico:
- Breath of My Heart Birthplace: Midwifery serving Taos, Los Alamos, and Rio Arriba.
- Family Medicine Associates: Ultrasound services in McKinley County.
- First Nations Community HealthSource: Mobile health services serving McKinley and Rio Arriba counties.
- Cibola Family Health Center: Community health workers serving Cibola & McKinley counties.
- El Centro Family Health: Dental services in Rio Arriba county.
- Fort Defiance Indian Hospital Board, Inc.: Outpatient urgent and clinic care in McKinley county.
- Picuris Pueblo: Primary care, behavioral health, dental and emergency transportation in Taos county.
- Las Cumbres Community Services: Behavioral health serving Rio Arriba and Taos counties.
Southeastern New Mexico:
- Pinnacle Gastroenterology: Gastroenterology serving Otero and Lincoln counties.
- Affirming Heart Victim Services: Behavioral health non-emergency transportation serving Eddy and Lea counties.
- Aspire Healthcare: Pediatric cardiology serving Chaves, Eddy, and Luna counties.
- BCA Medical Associates: Infant jaundice testing serving Chaves, Eddy, and Luna counties.
- Building Bridges Counseling Service LLC: Intensive outpatient program for Youth serving Lea and Eddy counties.
- Three Suns Birth: Obstetrics, gynecology, and women’s health serving Curry, Roosevelt, Lincoln, and Eddy counties.
- Carlsbad LifeHouse, Inc.: Behavioral health mobile crisis team in Eddy County.
- La Casa Family Health Center: Optometry services serving Roosevelt and Curry counties.
- Guidance Center of Lea County: Behavioral and physical health services in Lea County.
- Roswell Surgery Center LLC: Ambulatory surgery center serving Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, Roosevelt, De Baca, Otero, Curry, and Guadalupe counties.
- Nor-Lea Hospital District: Behavioral health services in Lea County.
- Renew Health: Behavioral health serving Chaves County.
- JumpStart, LLC: Autism services serving Otero Lincoln, Carlsbad, Eddy, Lea, and Chaves counties.
- Coronado Care Center LLC: Behavioral health care, dementia, and memory health care serving Roosevelt County.
- Las Cruces Primary Care LLC: Primary care services in Otero County.
- Mental Health Resources, Inc.: Behavioral health serving De Baca, Harding, Quay, Roosevelt, and Curry counties.
Southwestern New Mexico:
- Ben Archer Health Center: Dental services serving Sierra, Otero, and Luna counties.
- Mimbres Memorial Hospital: Obstetrics and gynecology, surgical, labor and delivery, nursing home, emergency, and ICU serving Luna, and Hidalgo counties.
- Southwest Counseling Center: Behavioral health serving Grant, Luna, and Hidalgo counties.
- Southwest Pediatric and Family Care, LLC: Behavioral health services serving Luna and Hidalgo counties.
- Healthy Start Pediatrics LLC: Pediatric services in Luna or Sierra county.
- Casa de Salud: Primary care and behavioral health serving Valencia and Socorro counties.
- Paloma Springs Healthcare: Behavioral health care, dementia and memory health care, other mental health care services in Sierra County.
Central New Mexico:
- Heart & Soul of NM, Inc.: Substance abuse intensive outpatient program in Valencia County.
- Premier Adult Geriatric Health: Geriatric health services in Valencia County.