Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 6, March 26, 2024
A. Duty
of the department: The department may contract with a New Mexico county
commission or qualified service providers to assist counties in the provision
of critical maternal and child health services in underserved areas of the
state. Such efforts must be consistent with priorities set out in the Act. All
applicable division and department procurement procedures and the New Mexico
Procurement Code will be followed.
(1) The
department shall award contracts for county maternal and child health services
based upon:
(a) the amount of legislatively
appropriated funds for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the County
Maternal and Child Health Plan Act;
(b) the county's need for services as
measured in the plan by:
(i) common and
accepted maternal and child health indicators, including but not limited to:
a) infant and child mortality and morbidity
indicators,
b) maternal mortality
and morbidity indicators,
c)
adolescent pregnancy rates, and d) MCH provider availability and
capacity;
(ii) the
county's demonstration that services in its maternal and child health plan
conform to the comprehensive outline of community-based MCH services described
in Subsection D of Section 5,
24-1B-5,
NMSA 1978 of the County Maternal and Child Health Plan Act.
(2) The department will
monitor and evaluate the performance of the contractor to ensure compliance
with the intent of the Act.
(3) The
department will publish definitions of services that set an acceptable minimum
standard for the services provided.
B. Eligibility: In order to contract for
service provision or evaluation of such services pursuant to this part of the
regulations, the contractor must meet the following requirements:
(1) it must be a New Mexico board of county
commissioners or a qualified organization or individual provider of services
providing a service identified as needed in the county MCH Plan;
(2) it must be in a county which has a
current division approved county maternal and child health plan according to
the provisions of the Act;
(3) it
must have the capability to carry out the purposes of the Act, including
qualified professional staff;
(4)
it must be an entity whose director, employees, contractors or board members do
not serve in an executive or decision making capacity on the county MCH
council;
(5) It must have received
the written endorsement of the county MCH Council and of the written approval
of the board of county commissioners of the county in which services are
proposed;
C. Eligible
items of expenditure: Funds made available for provision of health care
services under the Act may be used for the following types of expenditures:
(1) salaries and benefits for employees of
the Contractor;
(2) purchase of
supplies;
(3) purchase, repair
and/or maintenance of equipment;
(4) mileage and per diem expenses according
to the department of finance and administration rule 90-2, Section 7 [now
2.42.2 NMAC];
(5) professional
services contracts;
(6) advertising
expenses to attract interested MCH provider candidates;
(7) malpractice insurance premiums;
(8) other approved general operating
expenses;
D. Ineligible
items of expenditures: Costs which are not eligible for funding include:
(1) land;
(2) building and construction;
(3) emergency medical services personnel,
training or equipment;
(4) school
nurses;
(5) in patient hospital
care;
(6) debt
amortization.
E.
Reports: The division shall monitor the performance of the contractor(s) to
ensure compliance with the intent of the act. The contractor shall submit to
the division the following reports on or before deadlines specified in the
contract:
(1) The contractor shall submit all
reports required by the division for payments including reports of costs
incurred by individual cost categories reflected in the contract
budget;
(2) The contractor shall
submit a quarterly narrative progress report which identifies all services
provided and activities performed according to the scope of work;
(3) The contractor shall participate in data
collection, needs and capacities assessment, and monitoring and evaluation in
coordination with the department's efforts in this arena;
(4) Payment of all funds under the Act is
subject to division approval of all invoices and/or reports.
F. Selection of Providers: The
contractor must conduct all employment and professional services contracting
activities based upon the following considerations:
(1) All providers shall be considered on an
equal opportunity basis according to state and federal laws and regulations
which prohibit discrimination;
(2)
All candidates must be licensed or certified in New Mexico in accordance with
the applicable laws and regulations of the appropriate professional governing
boards or licensing agencies.
