HJM 36

Page 1

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE AGING AND LONG-TERM SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO

CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY NEW MEXICO'S RESPONSE TO THE

RESOLUTIONS OF THE 2005 WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON AGING AND

DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND TO URGE

CONGRESS TO SUPPORT REAUTHORIZATION OF THE FEDERAL OLDER

AMERICANS ACT OF 1965.

WHEREAS, President George W. Bush convened the 2005

white house conference on aging in December 2005; and

WHEREAS, the conference delegates, including seventeen

delegates from New Mexico, adopted fifty resolutions and

developed strategies to implement the resolutions to be sent

to the president and congress; and

WHEREAS, the resolutions and strategies focused on

issues of health, long-term living, lifespan planning, future

workplace considerations, civic and social engagement,

communities, technology and innovation in an emerging senior

marketplace; and

WHEREAS, the number one resolution adopted by the

delegates was the reauthorization of the federal Older

Americans Act of 1965; and

WHEREAS, the population of New Mexicans over the age of

sixty-five is growing and will almost double by the year 2025,

and is projected to be fourth in the country in the percentage

HJM 36

Page 2

of population over age sixty-five at more than twenty-six

percent; and

WHEREAS, current aging and long-term services programs

and related infrastructure and resources are inadequate to

meet the projected needs of a growing aging population; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety and welfare of seniors are

critical to the overall health and economic well-being of the

state; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico's rural and frontier geography,

multicultural populations and the sovereign status of tribal

entities require specific planning unique to the state; and

WHEREAS, the aging and long-term services department is

responsible for long-term care policy and programs serving

seniors and adults with disabilities and is the single state

agency responsible for carrying out the federal Older

Americans Act of 1965 in New Mexico;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the aging and long-term services

department be requested to convene a task force to study New

Mexico's response to the resolutions of the 2005 white house

conference on aging and develop recommendations for

implementation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force identify

strategies and resources necessary to prepare New Mexico for

the future aging disabled population; and

HJM 36

Page 3

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include

representation from the department of health, the human

services department, the department of finance and

administration, the department of transportation, the New

Mexico mortgage finance authority, the governor's commission

on disability, the developmental disabilities planning

council, the Indian affairs department, the veterans' services

department and others as may be appropriate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its

findings to the interim legislative health and human services

committee during its November 2006 meeting; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the New

Mexico congressional delegation be requested to support

adequate federal funding to meet the anticipated needs of the

aging population in New Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico congressional

delegation be requested to support reauthorization of the

federal Older Americans Act of 1965; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the aging and long-term services department,

the department of health, the human services department, the

department of finance and administration, the department of

transportation, the New Mexico mortgage finance authority, the

governor's commission on disability, the developmental

disabilities planning council, the Indian affairs department,

HJM 36

Page 4

the veterans' services department and the members of the New

Mexico congressional delegation.