New Mexico’s 43 county and tribal health councils are asking state lawmakers for recurring funding to sustain public health initiatives, Source NM reports. They say one-time appropriations leave communities uncertain about whether essential public health services, and the workers who provide them, will remain available.
In a presentation to the Legislature’s interim Health and Human Services Committee, Maryanne Miceli, secretary and treasurer of the New Mexico Alliance of Health Councils, said the state cannot build healthier communities while the resources supporting them remain uncertain. The councils have relied on one-time state funding each year since 2024, and the Legislature appropriated $4 million for them during the most recent session, said Valeria Alarcón, executive director of the alliance. Alarcón said the uncertainty contributes to an average annual staff turnover rate of 20%. Staff get nervous each winter, wondering, "Am I going to have a job come July?" she told Source NM.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the councils served nearly 400,000 New Mexicans by distributing masks and tests, Alarcón said. They have also helped communities respond to wildfires, heavy rains and floods by supporting evacuations and delivering supplies to shelters. State Rep. Jenifer Jones, R-Deming, cited transportation to medical appointments and vaccinations through mobile units as examples of the work in her district, and said she understood the need for stable funding.
Recurring appropriations would give the councils a more predictable financial foundation, helping them pay for ongoing operations, retain experienced workers and maintain services between legislative sessions. The councils also help coordinate services as the state works to rebuild its behavioral health infrastructure.
What's Next
Health council officials are asking lawmakers to move beyond year-to-year funding decisions and provide recurring support that allows local programs to plan for the long term.
Why It Matters
The funding uncertainty makes it difficult for the councils to plan programs, retain staff and maintain services for residents who depend on local support, particularly in rural areas where access to health care and other resources can be limited.
About This Story
Daily Reports is Brant.One’s news roundup. Each day we gather the New Mexico stories worth knowing from newsrooms across the state, sum them up and point you to the source. This one comes from Source NM’s reporting, and their original story has the interviews and full details.
Editor’s note: Updated Oct. 31, 2026. This story is now part of Daily Reports, our New Mexico news roundup, and was revised to credit Source NM’s original reporting. Learn how Daily Reports works in our editorial standards.
