NMDOH FY18 QUARTER 1 PROGRESS REPORT

Why Is This Important?

What We Do

The Public Health Division (PHD) fulfills the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) mission by working with individuals, families, communities and partners to improve health, eliminate disparities, respond to health threats, and ensure timely access to quality, culturally competent health care.

Who We Serve

The Public Health Division serves all New Mexicans.   

How We Impact

PHD staff members implement evidence based public health interventions and promote healthy lifestyle choices that reduce the burden of chronic and infectious disease in our communities. Public Health assures access to health care through case management, and through recruitment and retention efforts including the J-1 Visa Program, licensing of midwives and community health workers, tax credits for  rural health providers, and collaboration with rural primary health care providers throughout the state.

Budget

FY18 OPERATING BUDGET: $ 181,331,100

• General Funds: $ 49,846,500
• Other Transfers: $ 16,839,500
• Federal Funds: $ 72,078,100
• Other State Funds: $ 42,567,000

Accomplishments

During the first quarter of FY18, some of PHD’s accomplishments included:

• The SW Region Disease Prevention Team coordinated with Otero County clinicians, Epidemiology and Response Division, Scientific Laboratory Division, Gerald Champion Hospital, and the Environment Department to respond to a Norovirus outbreak at Camp Weinipeh in the Sacramento Mountains when 100 boy scouts fell ill. Participating agencies identified the source of the virus, treated the scouts, and provided recommendations to the camp to prevent future outbreaks.
• PHD Emergency Preparedness Specialists: 1) Organized Home Health & Health Care Clinic Winter Storm and Flooding Table Top exercises for Chaves and Roosevelt counties, respectively, 2) Organized active shooter trainings for four NE Region medical centers and 3) Collaborated with Sandia, Santa Ana, Isleta and Santo Domingo pueblos to conduct exercises.
• Health Promotion in the NE region secured $45,000 from Healthy Kids New Mexico for Colfax County to address childhood obesity.
• Health Education staff provided syringe exchange/overdose prevention training for 49 community members and organizations in the NE Region. In SE region they collected 109,566 used syringes, and distributed 141,180 clean syringes, benefiting 376 clients.
• Children’s Medical Services organized and hosted 27 specialty clinics in the SW, SE, and NE regions to provide care coordination and specialty care access to children and youth with special health care needs.

What We Do

The Epidemiology and Response Division (ERD) monitors health, provides health information, prevents disease and injury, promotes health and healthy behaviors, responds to public health events, prepares for health emergencies, and provides emergency medical, trauma, vital registration, and sexual assault-related services to New Mexicans.

Who We Serve

ERD serves all New Mexicans, particularly those at risk for injury, disease, and health emergencies, and those in need of emergency medical services, trauma care, birth certificates, and death certificates.

How We Impact

ERD provides services through six bureaus: Vital Records and Health Statistics (VRHS), Health Emergency Management (BHEM), Emergency Medical Systems (EMS), Environmental Health Epidemiology (EHEB), Infectious Disease Epidemiology (IDEB), and Injury and Behavioral Epidemiology (IBEB). In addition, the Community Health Assessment Program (CHAP) operates the online NM Indicator-Based Information System (IBIS) providing data on numerous health-related measures; and the Health Systems Epidemiology Program (HSEP) analyzes and disseminates hospitalization and emergency department data.

VRHS annually registers approximately 26,000 births and 17,000 deaths, and issues over 250,000 birth and death certificates. VRHS also analyzes and distributes data to numerous agencies and organizations to assist them in improving the health of New Mexicans. By working at the state, regional, and local levels through public and private partnerships BHEM enables New Mexicans to prevent, detect, report, respond to, and recover from health-related emergency and disaster incidents. The EMS Bureau administers the Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Trauma, and Stroke/STEMI (Heart Attack) programs. EMS assures licensure for over 8,000 NM Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

EHEB conducts surveillance on conditions associated with environmental exposures (e.g. drinking water, air, and soil), provides information to other programs and the public, and implements interventions. IDEB performs surveillance for notifiable infectious diseases and conducts epidemiologic field investigations associated with those diseases, investigating over 10,000 potential cases each year. IDEB and EHEB also provide an on call service, responding to over 5,000 calls annually from healthcare providers, state agencies, educational facilities, the general public, and others seeking advice and recommendations. IBEB analyzes alcohol- and drug-related public health problems; supports substance abuse prevention programs and policy initiatives; provides injury prevention services for infants, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly; and conducts studies in injury epidemiology. IBEB also conducts the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System annual survey of about 9,000 adults as well as the Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey of about 30,000 mid- and high school students to provide state, county, and school district level data on risk behaviors and resiliency factors.

Budget

FY18 OPERATING BUDGET: $28,188,700

• General Funds: $12,002,700
• Other Transfers: $766,200
• Federal Funds: $15,012,100
• Other State Funds: $407,700

Accomplishments

• The older adult falls death rate decreased 12 percent in 2016 to 91.6 deaths/100,000 at the same time the number of health care providers and older adults trained in evidence based fall prevention approaches has increased substantially.
• Using federal funding for Zika prevention and detection, birth defects surveillance has been made much more comprehensive with increased services to families with birth defects.
• A new trauma center, the first in Doña Ana County, was designated.
• Crisis standards of care are being developed to increase the number of tools available to be used in a major public health emergency.
• Emergency department syndromic surveillance uses are expanding to tracking non-fatal overdose, suicide attempts, and influenza.
• Program evaluation capacity is being enhanced largely through federal funding.
• The current vital records building was enhanced while plans for moving to a new building are being finalized.
  

What We Do

The Scientific Laboratory Division (SLD) provides laboratory analysis and scientific expertise for public health policy development, environment, and toxicology programs in New Mexico. SLD provides timely identification in order to prevent, identify, and respond to threats to public health and safety from emerging and unusual infectious diseases in humans, animals, water, food, and dairy, as well as chemical and radiological hazards in drinking water systems and environmental water, air, and soil. In addition, the laboratory performs drug testing and provides expert witness testimony for forensic investigations of DWI/DUID and cause of death from drugs and infectious disease. SLD is the primacy bioterrorism and chemical terrorism response laboratory for the state and provides training for clinical laboratories throughout New Mexico. 

Who We Serve

New Mexico statute dictates that the Scientific Laboratory Division is the primacy laboratory for the New Mexico Department of Health, the New Mexico Environment Department, and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, as well as the testing and regulatory authority for impaired driving testing.

How We Impact

The Scientific Laboratory is New Mexico’s official public health, environmental monitoring, and forensic toxicology laboratory. In the above roles, the Scientific Laboratory Division operates the following programs:

• Infectious disease reference testing laboratory for NMDOH, NM hospitals, and clinical labs;
• Primacy NM regulatory drinking water testing laboratory for EPA and NM Environment Department;
• Regulatory air testing laboratory for NM Environment Department and City of Albuquerque;
• Primacy NM regulatory dairy testing laboratory for FDA and NM Department of Agriculture;
• Veterinary infectious disease reference testing laboratory for the NMD Ag’s Veterinary Diagnostic Services;
• Food borne infectious disease testing laboratory;
• Certification inspectors for private dairy and dairy testing laboratories for the NM Environment Department and the NM Dept. of Agriculture;
• DWI/DUID alcohol and drug testing laboratory;
• State toxicology expert witnesses for DWI/DUID criminal cases;
• Certifying authority for NM law enforcement officers for breath alcohol testing;
• Bio- and chemical terrorism response laboratory for New Mexico;
• Disease and drug testing laboratory for the NM Office of the Medical Examiner.

Budget

FY18 OPERATING BUDGET: $ 12,904,200

• General Funds:      $7,599,600
• Other Transfers:    $1,251,100
• Federal Funds:       $2,646,000
• Other State Funds: $1,407,500

Accomplishments

During the first quarter of FY18, some of SLD’s accomplishments included:

• Chemistry Bureau:  Almost all vacant positions have been filled, enabling turn-around time to be met in all section areas.
• Toxicology Bureau: Dr. Samuel Kleinman was hired as the Deputy Forensic Toxicologist.

What We Do

The Office of Facilities Management (OFM) fulfills the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) mission by providing:

• Programs in mental health, substance abuse, long-term care, and physical rehabilitation in both facility and community-based settings;
• Safety net services throughout New Mexico.

Who We Serve

OFM oversees five healthcare facilities and one community program. Most individuals served by NMDOH facilities have either complex medical conditions or psychiatric disorders that manifest in violent behaviors, and private sector providers are either unable or unwilling to serve these complex individuals, many of whom are restricted to NMDOH facilities by court order.

How We Impact

OFM Facility staff cares for both New Mexico adult and adolescent residents, who need continuous care 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a year.

Budget

FY18 OPERATING BUDGET: $124,072,300

• General Funds: $58,125,800
• Other Transfers: $1,118,200
• Federal Funds: $3,992,400
• Other State Funds: $60,835,900

Accomplishments

During the first quarter of FY18, some of OFM’s accomplishments included:

• Turquoise Lodge Hospital (TLH):
  • Celebrated 65 years of recovery services in New Mexico.
  • Opened an Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP) program.
  • Conducted 238 admissions into Detox and Rehab programs.
  • Maintained an 87.2% occupancy rate in the Hospital.

What We Do

Who We Serve

DDSD is the primary state agency that funds community services and supports for people with disabilities and their families in New Mexico.

How We Impact

DDSD's primary focus is on assisting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in exercising their right to make choices, grow and contribute to their community.

Budget

FY18 OPERATING BUDGET: $159,443,800

• General Funds: $146,264,200
  
• Other Transfers: $8,760,400
  
• Federal Funds: $2,819,200
  
• Other State Funds: $1,600,000

Accomplishments

During the first quarter of FY18, some of DDSD’s accomplishments included:

• The Central Registry Unit (CRU) completed the second quarter of their Backlog Plan with a reduction in the number of backlogged applications and, consequently,  a reduction in the total number of individuals on the Central Registry. This is the second consecutive quarter with a decline: 6,602 at the end of  FY17-Q4 and 6,529 at the end of FY18-Q1.

• The Pre-Admission Screen and Resident Review (PASRR) unit has a vacancy rate of 67.0%. DDSD submitted hiring recommendations for the vacant positions of the PASRR Social Worker and Registered Nurse.

• The Regional Office Bureau provides ongoing technical assistance to case managers, providers, behavior support consultants, and therapists about the implementation of the revised Clinical Criteria for the Developmental Disabilities Waiver. The revised Clinical Criteria went into effect on July 1, 2017.  The technical assistance provided in this quarter by the Regional Office Bureau is a continuation of the Clinical Criteria trainings that they provided in the previous quarter.  The combination of these trainings with technical assistance provides DD Waiver Providers with a better understanding of how to successfully implement the new Clinical Criteria.  

What We Do

The Division of Health Improvement (DHI) plays a critical role on improving the health outcomes and ensuring the safety of New Mexicans. DHI ensures that healthcare facilities, community based Medicaid waiver providers and community support services deliver safe and effective healthcare and community services in accordance with laws, regulations, and standards of practice.

Who We Serve

DHI works closely with key stakeholders to promote and protect the health, safety, and quality of life of New Mexicans. Our stakeholders include executive and legislative policy makers; providers; facilities and contractors; other state, local, and federal government agencies; advocacy groups; professional organizations; provider associations; various task forces and commissions; and the tax paying public at large.

How We Impact

Key DHI enforcement activities include: conducting various health and safety surveys for both facilities and community-based programs; conducting investigations of alleged abuse, neglect, exploitation, death or environmental hazards; and processing over 44,000 caregiver criminal history screenings annually.

Budget

FY18 OPERATING BUDGET: $12,047,500

• General Funds: $4,192,600
• Other Transfers: $3,348,400
• Federal Funds: $2,613,000
• Other State Funds: $1,893,500

Accomplishments

During the first quarter of FY18, some of DHI’s accomplishments included:

• Implemented a streamlined employee recognition program.
• Developed a new strategic plan for staff development and training.
• Caregiver's Criminal History Screening Program (CCHSP) successfully tested two new software updates in our test environment. The background check system has been updated with the most current software this quarter.

Health, Facilities, Licensing, and Certification:

• NLTC – The Non-Long-Term Care Team completed all surveys required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for federal FY 2017.
• The Certified Nurse Assistant program processed 265 applications, 451 renewal applications, and 283 reciprocity requests.
• The Life Safety Code Team completed 79 surveys and processed 26 plan reviews
• Conducted a workshop on “Nursing Homes Medical Director Responsibilities" on July 13th. This workshop was videotaped and can be viewed on demand at HealthInsight’s website for all New Mexico nursing homes. 
• Assisted in the approval of a CMS grant to provide "infections control improvement" to 20 New Mexico nursing homes.

Community Based Waiver Programs:

• Revisions to the draft FY18 Abuse, Neglect, and Exploition Reporting guide for Community-Based Service Providers were completed and the guide will soon be finalized and released for distribution in both Spanish and English.

What We Do

The Medical Cannabis Program (MCP) was created in 2007 under the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act (the Act). The purpose of this Act is to allow the beneficial use of medical cannabis in a regulated system for alleviating symptoms caused by debilitating medical conditions. New Mexicans with a diagnosed qualifying medical condition are eligible to participate in the Program.

Who We Serve

The Program serves New Mexicans with qualifying medical conditions diagnosed by a health care provider. There are currently 21 qualifying medical conditions:

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Cancer
• Crohn’s Disease
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C Infection currently receiving antiviral treatment (proof of current anti-viral treatment required)
• HIV/AIDS
• Huntington’s Disease
• Hospice Care
• Inclusion Body Myositis
• Intractable Nausea/Vomiting
• Inflammatory autoimmune-mediated arthritis
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord, with (proof of objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity required)
• Painful Peripheral Neuropathy
• Parkinson’s disease
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Severe Chronic Pain
• Severe Anorexia/Cachexia
• Spasmodic Torticollis (Cervical Dystonia)
• Ulcerative Colitis

How We Impact

The Program enables the provision of compassionate care for people that have certain illnesses who prefer to use cannabis to alleviate symptoms related to their diagnosis.

Budget

FY18 OPERATING BUDGET: $2,750,000

• Other State Funds: $2,750,000

Accomplishments

During the first quarter of FY18, some of MCP’s accomplishments included:

• Gave one educational presentation to about 70 law enforcement staff.
• Gave one medical presentation.
• Continued cross-training Licensing and Compliance Manager duties with Patient Services Manager duties.
• Hired and trained one new data entry clerk to assist with data entry of patient applications.
• Hired new Medical Director to assist with medical review and approval of patient applications.
• Implemented strategies to print, fold, and stuff informational patient inserts at the NMDOH mailroom to reduce staff time on patient mailings in the office.