AGP Executive Report

Heat & health risk: Albuquerque logged its hottest August and summer on record, with NOAA noting moderate-to-major heat stress and warning it can strain health systems—especially for people without cooling or enough hydration. Public health watch: New Mexico reported another plague case in wildlife after a wild rat in Santa Fe County tested positive, following multiple dog cases this year; officials say it’s a warning, not an outbreak, but early treatment matters. Care quality in nursing homes: A report highlights Miners’ Colfax Medical Center in Raton as the state’s rare five-star nursing home model, while staffing shortages and low ratings continue to plague much of New Mexico’s nursing home landscape. Emergency preparedness: National Preparedness Month is in focus, with guidance on low-cost steps like using the Red Cross emergency app and building simple home and “go” kits. Local environment & health concerns: In Datil, residents packed a meeting to oppose a proposed uranium exploration plan, citing fears for an underground aquifer. Mental health & social media: A New Mexico-linked court case is cited as part of a broader push to hold Meta accountable for harms to children and teens.

Nursing Home Safety: A New Mexico review finds staffing shortages and quality problems tied to high citation rates, with nearly a quarter of state nursing homes rated one star and recent abuse citations—while one major operator, Genesis HealthCare, moves through bankruptcy and a sale that plaintiffs say won’t fix care gaps. Fentanyl & EMS Response: New reporting highlights how the fentanyl epidemic is reshaping families and emergency response work across New Mexico, including overdose calls that can turn deadly fast. Public Health Research: UNM researchers in Taos are studying hantavirus risk by testing deer mouse carriers after a local case of Sin Nombre infection. Long-Term Care Access: New Mexico’s universal free school lunch program is set to remain intact despite SNAP cuts, helping protect child nutrition. Policy & Care for Kids: A federal HHS report renews scrutiny of youth gender medicine at UNM’s Deseo clinic, raising questions about what public dollars fund. Water & Health Equity: Estancia’s water emergency shows how infrastructure strain and powerlessness can affect drinking water safety for people detained in a local detention facility.

Federal Species Policy: President Trump signed an order pushing the Interior Department to consider stripping Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves and Mexican gray wolves, with critics warning it could weaken safeguards for wildlife and livestock impacts. Nursing Home Safety: New Mexico nursing homes are under strain as staffing shortages persist and one operator’s bankruptcy raises questions about care quality, while a review finds New Mexico has the highest average number of health citations per nursing home. Drug Crisis & Families: New reporting highlights how fentanyl deaths are reshaping New Mexico households, with overdose deaths rising sharply and most autopsies citing fentanyl. Coverage & Costs: New Mexico’s health insurance market is facing pressure as officials approve a roughly 24% premium increase and coverage changes could leave tens of thousands at risk. School Meals: New Mexico’s free school lunch program is set to remain in place through at least 2030 despite federal SNAP cuts. Public Health Guidance: The state updated COVID-19 vaccine guidance for 2026-2027, including standing orders to make vaccination easier to access.

Nursing Home Crisis: New Mexico’s nursing home safety spotlight is getting sharper as Genesis HealthCare’s bankruptcy process raises fears that quality problems won’t improve; a New Mexican review found the state’s nursing homes average 17.8 health citations (highest in the nation), with nearly a quarter earning one star and 11 cited for abuse. Staffing Strain: Separate reporting points to staffing shortages as a major reason facilities fall short on care. Fentanyl Fallout: A new look at New Mexico overdose deaths shows fentanyl driving family-level harm, with deaths rising nearly 23% from Jan. 2025 to Jan. 2026 and most autopsies citing fentanyl. Legionella Check: Presbyterian Hospital says Legionella was found in limited areas of its water system, but it reports localized findings and a low risk to patients while remediation continues. School Meals: New Mexico’s free school lunch program is expected to stay in place through at least 2030 despite federal SNAP cuts. Health Coverage: New Mexico health insurance officials approved about a 24% premium increase for BeWell plans. Water & Health: Estancia declared a water emergency as commercial use dominates demand, raising public health concerns for people with limited ability to leave. Policy & Care Access: UNM-linked family medicine residents are set to rotate through rural clinics tied to Gila Regional Medical Center.

Legionella Update: Presbyterian Hospital found Legionella in three limited areas of its water system, says the hospital-wide system wasn’t affected and risk is considered low while remediation continues. Uranium & Health: New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard issued an executive order banning new uranium leasing on state trust lands, directing cleanup of legacy sites instead of new development. Cannabis Business Impact: Cannabis retailers report New Mexico’s new seed-to-sale tracking system (NMS2S) is causing major sales disruptions and mislabeling, with some businesses saying they’ve lost hundreds of thousands in inventory. Public Health & Access: New Mexico health insurance officials approved a 24% premium increase for BeWell plans, raising concerns about affordability and coverage. Workplace Heat & Farmworkers: A report highlights how extreme heat is pushing farmworkers to work at night, with safety and health risks tied to longer, more intense heat waves. Local Care Funding: Christus Health awarded $300,000 in grants to five Longview-area nonprofits to expand access to essential services. Data Centers & Health Questions: A Pima County review with Johns Hopkins raises concerns about heat, air pollution, and noise from large data centers, noting a lack of clear guidance.

Federal Election Access: New Mexico AG Nick Brown and a coalition of 25 states won a preliminary court order blocking USPS from forcing states to get federal approval for new vote-by-mail ballot and return-envelope designs and to use a new tracking portal—aimed at preventing election chaos ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. Uranium & Public Health: New Mexico Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard issued an executive order banning new uranium mining leases on state trust lands, directing the state to prioritize cleanup of legacy sites tied to health and environmental harm. Veterans’ Care Staffing: An Inspector General review found staffing shortages at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque led to closed beds and longer waits, citing federal hiring freeze and deferred resignation policies. Medicaid Coverage: New Mexico is among states facing major Medicaid changes, with 89,000 residents projected to lose coverage starting Jan. 1, and officials preparing public outreach. Food Security: SNAP cuts could ripple into school meal programs, putting free breakfast and lunch at risk for children who qualify through SNAP or Medicaid. Mental Health Access: Crisis Text Line reports people in Mountain West states are more likely to express suicidal thoughts in crisis texts, pointing to rural barriers to care. Animal Health Watch: USDA and partners expanded screwworm resources and monitoring as cases continue to be detected, including in New Mexico.

Sterile Drug Manufacturing Boost: Curia Global opened an expanded Albuquerque campus after a $200M investment to grow domestic production of critical injectable medicines, adding new aseptic fill-finish and lyophilization capacity plus advanced inspection and training support. Health Coverage Pressure: New Mexico says BeWell premiums could rise up to 30% and warns about major Medicaid churn, including 89,000 people projected to lose coverage under new federal work requirements starting in 2027. Public Health & Safety: Aztec delayed notifying downstream users after a raw sewage leak into the Animas River, raising concerns about timely reporting and water contamination risk. School Health: A new American Psychological Association report links extreme heat to slower learning and more absences, urging schools to treat heat disruptions like other emergency closures. Livestock Disease Response: CBP and USDA are ramping up efforts against New World screwworm, using sterile fly releases and faster response coordination after cases were confirmed in Texas and New Mexico. Radiation Risk Watch: New Mexico is pressing Los Alamos to speed up removal of above-ground radioactive waste, proposing a July 2028 transfer deadline to WIPP.

Radioactive Safety: New Mexico is urging Los Alamos National Laboratory to speed up removal of above-ground radioactive waste, proposing a July 2028 transfer deadline to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, citing wildfire and long-term drum degradation risks. Substance Use Crisis: State health officials warn that powdered fentanyl is increasingly driving accidental overdoses because it can look like other drugs; they’re pushing naloxone, avoiding use alone, and using fentanyl test strips when possible. Health Coverage Costs: New Mexico approved an average 24.4% premium increase for BeWell individual plans for 2027, drawing criticism from lawmakers who say the state should better explain what’s driving costs. Public Health Monitoring: Attorneys general, including New Mexico’s, are urging the EPA to add microplastics to drinking-water monitoring rules under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Medicaid Changes: New Mexico is preparing residents for looming Medicaid work-related changes that could affect tens of thousands of people, with outreach planned. Oral Health Access: Delta Dental of New Mexico awarded $10,000 to Touro College of Dental Medicine to help fund student lodging for rural clinical rotations.

Medicaid & coverage shakeups: New Mexico is bracing residents for Medicaid work requirements, with officials saying about 89,000 people could lose coverage, and the state is rolling out public awareness about the changes. Insurance costs: The Legislative Finance Committee chair criticized the insurance superintendent after BeWell marketplace plans were approved for an average 24.4% premium increase for about 80,000 enrollees. Food access pressure: A new report warns SNAP cuts could ripple into school meal programs, putting more kids at risk of losing free breakfast and lunch. Public health & safety: Federal agencies, including CBP and USDA, are mobilizing to eradicate New World screwworm after cases were confirmed across the Southwest, including one in New Mexico. Community health supports: Presbyterian Healthcare Services is expanding mobile health clinics in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, aiming to bring care closer to people who face barriers. Local child welfare case: Albuquerque police say CYFD had prior neglect reports involving a father accused of leaving 20-month-old twins in a hot car for hours.

Screwworm Response: U.S. Customs and Border Protection is coordinating with USDA to help eradicate the New World screwworm, using sterile fly releases, training, and supply clearing as cases remain concentrated in Texas with one confirmed in New Mexico. Mobile Care Access: Presbyterian expanded rural reach with two new mobile health centers based in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, aiming to catch minor issues early and reduce gaps in care statewide. Medicaid Coverage Pressure: New Mexico lawmakers and health officials are reacting to Medicaid work requirements and exchange premium hikes, with reporting that tens of thousands could lose coverage and BeWell plans approved for a 24.4% average increase. Behavioral Health Breakthrough: New Mexico is moving ahead with a psilocybin-assisted therapy program, with leaders saying patients and providers are already lining up ahead of the planned launch. Newborn Vaccine Safety: A national report finds vitamin K shot refusals jumped more than 57% this year, raising concern about preventable, life-threatening bleeding in newborns. Health Policy & Regulation: New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez opposed proposed NRC radiation rule changes, arguing they could weaken monitoring and raise public health risk.

Medicaid Coverage Shake-Up: New federal Medicaid work requirements are set to trigger notices to more than 230,000 New Mexicans, with 80 hours of monthly work/activity expected and exemptions for Native Americans and people with complex medical conditions. Mobile Care Access: Presbyterian Healthcare Services is expanding with two new mobile health clinics in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, aiming to bring wellness visits, immunizations, testing, and everyday non-emergency care to people who struggle to get to appointments. Public Health & Newborn Safety: Reports highlight a sharp rise in newborn vitamin K refusals nationwide, raising concern for severe bleeding risk—an issue that intersects with broader vaccine mistrust. Child Advocacy in Courts: Youth Heartline is expanding its Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program to San Miguel, Mora, and Guadalupe counties, training volunteers to represent children’s educational, medical, and placement needs in court. Rare Disease Care in NM: UNM Health Sciences Center surgeons report a rare case of Riedel’s thyroiditis that repeatedly narrowed a patient’s airway, showing how complex thyroid inflammation can require specialized surgical rebuilding. Animal Health Update: Federal officials lifted New Mexico’s New World screwworm infested zone after no new cases were found, easing movement rules for livestock and pets.

Medicaid Coverage: New Mexico Health Care Authority says more than 230,000 Medicaid recipients will get notices this week about new federal work or activity rules, including an 80-hour monthly requirement, with exemptions for Native Americans and people with complex medical conditions; officials say notices don’t mean automatic loss, but about 89,000 residents are at risk of losing coverage starting in January and about 2,350 lawfully present immigrants could be affected Oct. 1. Health Access: Presbyterian Healthcare Services is expanding its Mobile Health Center program from one to three “clinics on wheels,” adding vans serving communities around Albuquerque, Española and Las Cruces with child wellness, immunizations, screenings, diagnostic testing and referrals. Public Health: New Mexico Department of Health recommends the updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine, with a statewide standing order to improve access, especially for older adults, high-risk people, people never vaccinated, and pregnant people. Insurance Costs: New Mexico’s insurance regulator approved an average 24.4% premium increase for BeWell marketplace plans effective Jan. 1, 2027, while noting most enrollees receive subsidies. Maternal/Infant Safety: A Reuters report says newborn vitamin K shot refusals jumped 57% this year nationwide, raising concern for severe bleeding risk. Behavioral Health & Recovery: New Mexico marks Recovery Awareness Month in September with 30+ events across 20 counties and highlights the 988 lifeline’s growing use.

Medicaid Watch in New Mexico: The Health Care Authority says it will launch a statewide awareness campaign—billboards, TV, radio, and digital ads in English and Spanish—to help people keep coverage as new Medicaid rules roll out in January, with notices going to more than 230,000 enrollees starting this week. Newborn Vaccine Hesitancy: A Reuters analysis reports vitamin K shot refusals for newborns jumped more than 57% from January to June, raising concerns about life-threatening bleeding; the trend is tied to growing mistrust in newborn interventions. Rural Maternal Care Pressure: A KFF analysis warns that rural hospital closures and Medicaid changes could mean longer drives for pregnant people, with rural areas facing much bigger travel times than urban counterparts. West Nile Risk: New Mexico health officials warn southern New Mexico faces a longer West Nile season this year due to a wetter, warmer El Niño-driven monsoon forecast. Animal Health Update: USDA lifted New Mexico’s New World screwworm movement restrictions after the state’s single case in Lea County, ending the zone requirements for livestock and pets. Opioid Treatment Access: MedMark Treatment Centers says it’s expanding buprenorphine office-based opioid treatment at 25 locations across nine states. Public Health Leadership: The New Mexico Medical Society named Richard J. Berry its Executive Director/CEO.

Medicaid Work Rules in Focus: New Mexico Health Care Authority says federal changes tied to “work or activity” requirements could lead about 89,000 Medicaid recipients to lose coverage, with notices going out to more than 230,000 people and help resources available through the Department of Workforce Solutions. Public Health Data Dispute: The CDC is excluding two Pennsylvania measles-associated deaths from its national tally, a move tied to a political fight over how deaths are counted. Drug Enforcement Oversight: A U.S. House oversight probe is seeking records from New Mexico’s attorney general about DEA fentanyl “walking” tactics used during wiretap investigations. Animal Health Update: USDA lifted New Mexico’s restricted New World screwworm infested zone after no new detections, easing livestock movement rules. Community Health Infrastructure: Shiprock opened a new First Responders Substation meant to centralize medical, fire, rescue, law enforcement and emergency management services.

Medicaid Changes: The New Mexico Health Care Authority is holding a virtual news conference Aug. 31 to explain new federal Medicaid rules starting Oct. 1, including new work/activity requirements, exemptions, and what members need to do. Public Health & Access: Hobbs’ dialysis center is filling a major care gap for Navajo Nation patients, with leaders already discussing mobile dialysis to reach communities like Greasewood. Substance Use Care: New Mexico Medicaid spending data show alcohol and drug abuse treatment billings rising in multiple communities, including a sharp increase in Cliff. Health Tech Research: UNM and partner institutions reviewed emerging approaches to help heal diabetic foot ulcers and prevent limb loss, focusing on therapies that may improve microcirculation and healing. Opioid Accountability: New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez sued the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain DEA fentanyl-handling records tied to allegations of “fentanyl walking” in the state. Youth Safety Online: Meta’s landmark teen social media settlement is driving major platform changes, with New Mexico tied to the broader legal fallout. Wildlife & Health Risks: Drought-linked bear incursions are increasing across the West, and New Mexico wildlife officials warn habituation can lead to euthanasia and danger for people and pets.

Medicaid spending snapshot: New Mexico communities saw mixed Medicaid shifts in 2024, with Bosque Farms’ “Medicine Services and Procedures” up 25.2% to $188,270, Gallup’s “Medical and Surgical Supplies” up 2.4% to $170,138, and Jemez Pueblo’s ambulance/transport claims rising 28.7% to $18,852. Behavioral health & access: Deming’s non-oral drug administrations climbed 75.9% to $26,166, while Vision services jumped in Socorro (+62.4% to $29,972) and Ruidoso (+10.5% to $71,971). Policy & regulation: The New Mexico Supreme Court paused a key step in Project Jupiter’s Santa Teresa AI data center air-permit process, a procedural win for opponents. Public health & community: Tina Cordova, a Tularosa Basin downwinder advocate, is set to speak at the UN General Assembly about health harms from Trinity-era nuclear testing. Wildlife & safety: A federal wildlife officer from Oregon, David Taylor, is believed to have died while helping evacuate residents during an Oklahoma wildfire.