Disability Rights Advocates Celebrate Hard-Won Victory
Dramatic Passage of New Mexico’s Money Follows the Person Act

For immediate release: March 10, 2006
Contact: Gil Yildiz, 505-266-5022, or Sherry Watson, 505-566-5827

Under intense pressure from the disability community, and only 108 minutes before the noon deadline, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed the Money Follow the Person Act, which gives Medicaid-eligible people with disabilities and elders in nursing homes the choice to live in the community. At a news conference, Richardson said that a “last-minute frenzy” of lobbying tipped the scales on his decision to sign the bill. Sherry Watson, Director of the San Juan Center for Independence said, “This is a major victory for the disability community nationally and it makes sense economically! It's exciting that we are leading the way in changing the mindset of Americans on long term services.”

CMS data show that in New Mexico, nearly 1,300 people residing in nursing homes would rather live in the community. Former nursing home resident, Joe Herrera said, “I go back to the nursing home to visit my friends and I feel really sad that they’re still in there.” Gil Yildiz, Director of Independent Living Resource Center (ILRC) said, “We have a responsibility to be the voice for those 1,300 people who want out of nursing homes.”

Independent Living Resource Center and San Juan Center for Independence worked long and hard to promote Money Follows the Person (MFP) during the legislative session. Their campaign along with strong sponsorship by Representative Ed Sandoval paid off with unanimous votes in favor of the bill in both the House and Senate. However, the bill ran into trouble when it reached the Governor’s desk.

In emergency meetings with the Governor’s cabinet and advisors, advocates stressed the state Money Follows the Person Act dovetails with recently passed federal legislation that will increase cost savings through an enhanced Medicaid match. When the Governor did not respond, advocates communicated the urgency of the situation in New Mexico to contacts in Washington D.C. and in other states where MFP has already been successfully implemented. National disability rights organization, ADAPT, alerted their membership that Governor Richardson’s decision would impact people with disabilities across the nation. Carla Baron, ILRC Special Projects Coordinator said, “We were not going to give up. In the final hours, we were mobilizing disability advocates all around the country to urge Governor Richardson to sign Money Follows the Person.”

Representative Sandoval said, “It took everybody involved to achieve this. It just goes to show that if you’re persistent till the end, you can get things done.” Yildiz added, “The Governor definitely felt the power of the disability community. We commend him for standing in support if this historic legislation, which will free our people and also save the State money. We are thrilled!”