New Mexico
New Mexico lawmakers update caregiving requirements
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The death of a New Mexico woman with a disability, allegedly at the hands of her caregivers, woke state leaders up.
For State Rep. Liz Thomson, it’s personal. Her son has disabilities that require him to live in a group home.
“I’ve been aware of this for a long time, but a lot of folks have not,” said. Rep. Thomson, who chairs the state’s Legislative Health and Human Service Committee.
On the committee, Thomson is able to push for changes to programs, like the Developmental Disabilities Waiver. They also provide services and support for thousands of New Mexicans with disabilities.
“There’s definitely gaps. We have a good program, but there are holes,” Thomson said.
The death of Mary Melero seemingly made those holes became obvious. Prosecutors accused three of her caretakers of neglecting her to the point of death.
U.S. Border Patrol agents found Melero when the group tried to take her to Mexico for treatment. She died shortly after that.
“There’s no more of a worst case scenario than that,” said Joseph Martinez, the acting director of the Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Division of the New Mexico Department of Justice.
Martinez is helping prosecute that case. He said they’ve worked with state agencies over the past two years to better communicate and investigate claims.
“We’ve taken multiple steps to increase potential referrals. We’ve done a ton of outreach, letting you know we are available to hear those complaints,” Martinez said.
Rep. Thomson also helped pass a bill this past session that adds a few crimes to the list of what makes someone ineligible to be caregivers.
“We’re always open to, if we learn more, if something there’s new technology, if there’s, you know, another horrific case, fingers crossed that there won’t be. That shows us some places where we’re not as robust as we should be,” Thomson said.
Her next goal is to land more funding and benefits for caregivers.
“You can make more money flipping burgers at a fast food joint than you can caring for people like my son. So, I think we need to invest in our system and put people who really want– it’s a calling, but you have to be able to make a living,” Thomson said.
Recently, a judge decided two of Melero’s alleged killers will stay in jail after violating their conditions of release.
MORE: 3 New Mexico women arrested, accused of torturing disabled woman
New Mexico leaders are backing a bipartisan bill after 12 confirmed U.S. screwworm cases, including one case in a Lea County dog.
SANTA FE, N.M. – New Mexico leaders are backing a bipartisan bill after 12 confirmed U.S. screwworm cases, including one case in a Lea County dog.
New Mexico State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Holeck said the parasite has spread to New Mexico, though officials say they have not found any human cases.
“This is also not a political issue this is a nationwide issue that we all need to address because it affects all warm blooded animals including humans,” Holeck said.
U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez support the Protect America’s Herds Act.
The bill would create a grant program to train people to identify, treat, prevent and report screwworm. It would also support more livestock inspections and education for ranchers.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez said she heard concerns from tribal leaders about the cost of protecting cattle herds.
“I spoke with one of our tribal leaders today and they have cattle operation and they’re worried, and they’re talking about how much more money they’re having to pay to go make sure they check on their herds and there are extra costs,” Leger Fernandez said.
Funding would prioritize states and tribal communities most at risk for screwworm outbreaks.
State health officials said screwworm is not a food safety issue. They also said ranchers should stay alert but not alarmed.
New Mexico isn’t done with Meta yet. After the second phase of a landmark trial, the state is asking a judge to make the company pay almost $1 billion to address harm done to young people in New Mexico, SourceNM reports. In a court filing, attorneys with the New Mexico Department of Justice argue that Meta’s addictive design features and recommendation algorithms “substantially contributed to the increase and severity” of problems including depression and eating disorders. The state wants a judge to order Meta to pay $953 million into a fund for public education and behavioral health programs, reports Fox News.
- After the first phase of the trial in March, a jury found the company endangered children and misled the public about its platforms’ safety. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in damages, $5,000 for each violation.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has argued Meta executives prioritized profit over minors’ safety, ignored internal warnings, and misrepresented what they knew about harms to young users. In the second phase, First Judicial District Court Chief Judge Bryan Biedscheid heard arguments on whether the company’s actions created a public nuisance, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Final filings in that phase of the trial were submitted Friday. Beyond potential financial penalties, Biedscheid will also rule on the state’s request for Meta to make changes including stricter age controls and “safer algorithms” that “do not prioritize engagement over well being.”
Meta says New Mexico is overreaching, warning that the proposed mandates are “impractical and ill-considered” and “would risk leaving teens less safe, infringe on parental rights, and stifle free expression.” Meta argues that New Mexico hasn’t proven that its platforms affect mental health outcomes. In court filings, Meta has claimed that the state is seeking $3.7 billion, not $953 million, but Chief Deputy Attorney General James Grayson says the higher figure is an expert’s estimate of the cost to fund all child mental health interventions in the state. “We’re not trying to hold Meta responsible for mental health harms in general in New Mexico, only for what social media has cost,” Grayson tells the New Mexican.
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