Minutes Feb 2026

NM Social Work Workforce Consortium

Agenda for February 19, 2025

Present: M. Moyer, J. Harrison, K. Knox, A. Nelson, M. Nienow, A. Sallee, J. Torres-Grover, T. Arguello, A. Russell, Y. Cordova, N. Peralta, T. Lambie, E. Costilla, A. Sosa, A. Vargas, A. Vilas, J. Baca, C. Carmony, R. Serafin, C. Tollett, P. West-Okiri, A. Sillas, A. Nabours, J. Panhorst, J. Corley

Call to Order @ 9:05 am by Patti West-Okiri

Approval of Agenda – Sallee/Nelson

Approval of Minutes – Cordova/Nienow

Legislative, Policy, Regulatory Updates

Alvin Sallee for Rep. Eleanor Chavez

Rep. Chavez is working tirelessly in session as an advocate for social workers as well as children and families in NM. The two Jerry(s) are invaluable and having a friend in Dr. Nienow during session this round.

HB9 – immigration safety act. Spon. By Rep. Chavez passed and signed yesterday. This removes county-supported immigration centers detaining adults and children. The State/Counties cannot contract with ICE for these centers, they can continue to do this privately, but the state is not supporting ICE efforts.
Social Work Compact Bill passed with 53 pages. The sponsors had not communicated with social workers themselves but consulted with attorneys from out of state. The cultural exam was included as an amendment but could not be located in the bill. It is, in fact, not in the bill. We could not enter the compact agreement if this cultural exam was included. The Consortium did not have a position on this bill, the belief is that this would not have made an impact.
The Center did provide a data-driven dialog last year expressing concerns and comments on this bill to inform the legislative process.
HJR4 – constitutional amendment to professionalize CYFD by removal from the cabinet and hiring social workers for their workforce. Tabled in HJC due to language around commissioner removal and process.
House Memorial 1 – Intro by Rep. Herndon. A study of the constitutional proposal to remove CYFD from the cabinet. This passed but did not receive funding and will not be taken to the floor.
HB130 – Intro by Rep. Herndon would fund CYFD for DV programs. This did not make it to the floor
HB66 and SB14 – Health Professional Loan Forgiveness. The language was problematic and most was stricken. HB passed and sent to Gov. This restructures the funding allotted for loan repayment. 50% of funding is directed to physicians. $75k/year is allocated with a 4-year window and an option for a 5th year as needed. The implications for social work and other non-physician professions eligible for repayment are dire if there isn’t funding allocated to cover this as it will dip into the funds available to the other professions. If medical allotments are not spent in the year, the funds do not flow into the fund for other professions. This new bill does add social workers as a profession eligible, although these funds have been used in the past to assist social workers.
HB120 – regulations to restraints on students in the schools
SB 18 – Clean energy act – died.
Illegal gun sales – failed
Universal daycare – passed. $700m out of the permanent fund
1% pay raise in HB2 – LFC staff and house found funds to return buy running it through a tax bill. Initially the thought was to raise in proportion to the rate of inflation, this was 2.7% and thus did not meet this measure.
Truth commission to investigate Epstein actions and crimes against women in NM
Constitutional amendments.
Sen. Steinborn convinced House and Senate that University Regents have to have some background in running universities. They would be selected by a nominating committee for the Gov to appoint from.
Pay for legislators @ $54k/year

Recap/closing thoughts:

There was little to no presence of the social work profession in a lobbying capacity – we need a presence there way before the session. We also need a presence in the Gov race as this current Gov has not been friendly to the profession.

Where is NASW-NM? The current director recently had a baby and this may have impacted her ability to be present. There is concern that she oversees not only NM but AZ. We need to collaborate, but the role of the Consortium is important in preserving the interests of NM social workers. There is now an advising board and a conference is scheduled for June (https://naswnm.socialworkers.org/Events/Annual-Conference). NASW-NM needs a legislative committee, at minimum, if not a paid lobbyist. Can we partner with other professions as we have in the past for lobbying.

Next session is the 60-day with a new Gov – this is a very important thing to consider. Can we consider student placements and even a lobbyist? Julianna Koob, a lobbyist, is interested in taking interns.

HB99 – Medical malpractice reform. Some of the lobbyists had conflicts of interest and chose not to support changes to language in the loan repayment bills because they had made commitments to those involved in the medical malpractice suit. This is not over and is likely to be challenged by trial attorneys and under review again next year.

SB 64-Creating Office of Special Education-heading to Governor makes room for social workers delivering ancillary services.

Moving forward, a centralized message, a platform, is required. We need to introduce these in interactions with gubernatorial candidates. Can we circulate the agenda of the consortium (once established) widely? Do we need a committee to form this language and materials? The professional isolation and advocacy committee could be reconstructed, or we can make a motion

New Members/Visitors

Nikka Peralta – NASW Board President, clinical social worker
Audrey Vargas – MSW student with NMHU
Taylor Lambie – MSW student with NMHU, practicum with Future Focused Education

Treasurer’s Report – Mary Nienow

No new updates. Current funding was spent primarily on website update/design. We are hopeful for ongoing funding, but nothing has been secured yet.

Committees

Capacity building –Kim Knox
We have met but are awaiting the dust to settle from the legislative session.
Licensing – Mary Nienow
The most recent meeting was canceled due to session. The compact has not been rolled yet, NM will be sending a representative (Gov. appointed) to the national conference on this issue. There are questions on compliance and membership that must be addressed prior to the national roll out. We need to determine who would represent NM interests on the national stage.
Professional isolation and advocacy – Carolyn Tollett
Now that the session has wrapped up, I will be sending out a poll to find and schedule a time for our meetings. This will be sent out this afternoon. If someone wants to be added to the email group, please reach out to advocacy@nmswc.org before 2pm.
For those interested in these efforts to create language please email Carolyn – Anna Nelson and Amber Sosa have expressed interest. This group will bring language forward, at least a starting draft, by the March meeting.
Ad hoc website review committee.
We need you to look at the Consortium website: https://www.nmswc.org/.
Please provide feedback to Jamii Corley or Patricia West and they will address and report out in March. You can contact them at website@nmswc.org.

Executive Committee Report – Patti West-Okiri

Practice Community Input

The Center for Excellence – report shared here: NM-BH-Workforce-Blueprint-Center-for-Excellence-in-Social-Work-1.16.2026.pdf
The Center for Excellence in Social Work is coming up on it’s April Social Work Education Summit in Ruidoso at the Inn of the Mountain Gods. They are welcoming presenters and attendees currently!
We are also rapidly preparing for the biannual social work survey
There are learning opportunities through the CESW that can be located here https://learn.nmcesw.org/
WNMU has a faculty member retiring, we are looking for a residential position as a tenure track position for the MSW program
NMSU is starting exploration and moving toward a PhD in Social Work. We will be looking for letters of support from our community partners. This is a very exciting time for the school and a very dynamic time.

Related attachments

Adjourn – 10:19 am

Upcoming meeting: March 19th – 9-10:30 am via zoom

Dr. Melissa Moyer, LCSW