New Mexico Medicaid Waiver Programs: A Family Overview
Every New Mexico Medicaid waiver for people with disabilities in one place — DD Waiver, Mi Via, and Medically Fragile — plus who qualifies, how to apply, and who to contact.
Updated July 30, 2026
New Mexico runs several Medicaid home and community-based waiver programs for people with disabilities. "Waiver" means the state waives the usual requirement that this level of care happen in an institution — instead, Medicaid funds services at home and in the community. The programs are administered by the Developmental Disabilities Supports Division (DDSD) of the New Mexico Health Care Authority. Here's every program, who it serves, and how to get started.
Developmental Disabilities (DD) Waiver
The traditional and largest waiver — about 4,849 participants as of March 2026 — for children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It is agency-directed: provider agencies employ the caregivers and handle training, compliance, and paperwork. Services include residential options like Family Living (the participant lives with their caregiver — often a family member — who is paid a daily rate), community supports, employment supports, therapies, respite, and nursing. The DD Waiver was renewed for another five-year cycle beginning July 1, 2026.
This is the waiver where a parent of an adult child can be the paid full-time caregiver. Our guide to getting paid as a family caregiver covers the rules in detail.
Mi Via Waiver (self-directed)
Mi Via — "my path" — is the self-directed alternative, with about 3,949 participants as of March 2026. Instead of an agency running services, the participant (or their representative) manages an individual budget — currently up to $85,767/year for adults 21+ — chooses who provides care, and negotiates rates. A consultant agency helps with planning, a financial management agency runs payroll, and daily-rate residential care (In-Home Living Supports) is delivered through vendor agencies like Lift Family Care. Since February 2026, parents of minors and spouses can be paid for nearly all Mi Via services. See our DD Waiver vs. Mi Via comparison to decide which fits your family.
Medically Fragile Waiver
For people of any age who have a developmental disability or delay and a medically fragile condition requiring ongoing medical care. Services center on case management, private duty nursing, home health aides, therapies, and respite. It's the smallest program (about 182 participants) and was also renewed for the five-year cycle starting July 1, 2026, with several new services added. Lift Family Care focuses on the DD and Mi Via waivers; for the Medically Fragile Waiver, start with the Health Care Authority's program page.
What happened to the Supports Waiver?
You may still see the Supports Waiver mentioned on other websites — it ended June 1, 2026. It was created in 2020 as a temporary $10,000/year program for families stuck on the DD Waiver waitlist. With the waitlist eliminated, the state offered every Supports Waiver participant a full DD Waiver or Mi Via allocation and retired the program.
Who is eligible?
Across the DD and Mi Via waivers, your family member qualifies if they have either:
- an intellectual disability — IQ of 70 or below with deficits in adaptive behavior, appearing before age 18, or
- a related condition appearing before age 22 that substantially limits three or more major life areas (self-care, language, learning, mobility, self-direction, independent living, economic self-sufficiency),
and they must need an institutional (ICF/IID) level of care and meet Medicaid financial criteria (NMAC 8.290.400).
How to apply
- Download the HCBS Waivers & ICF/IID Application Packet from the Pre-Service Intake Bureau (English and Spanish), attach diagnostic documentation, and mail or fax it to your regional office. Your application date is the day the completed packet is received.
- Once matched, you enter the allocation queue. Since August 2025 the state runs continuous allocations — offers go out monthly, and the old multi-year waitlist is gone.
- With your allocation you choose your program (DD Waiver or Mi Via) on the Primary Freedom of Choice form — respond promptly; the window is 30–45 days.
- Complete financial eligibility (HCA-100 Application for Assistance, online at YesNM) and medical level-of-care eligibility through your medical provider.
- Choose your providers and start services. This is where we come in — Lift helps families build the care team they want: family members, friends, or anyone the participant trusts. If family isn't available or preferred, we help find and vet additional caregivers — then get everyone trained, compliant, and paid daily.
DDSD regional offices
| Region | Address | Phone | Toll-free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro (Albuquerque) | 5300 Homestead Rd NE, Ste 218, Albuquerque, NM 87110 | 505-841-5500 | 800-283-5548 |
| Northeast (Taos) | 224 Cruz Alta, Ste B, Taos, NM 87571 | 505-476-2730 | 866-315-7123 |
| Northwest (Gallup) | 2914 E Hwy 66, Gallup, NM 87301 | 505-863-9937 | 866-862-0448 |
| Northwest (Farmington) | 101 W Animas St, Farmington, NM 87401 | 505-478-3035 | — |
| Southeast (Roswell) | 726 S Sunset, Ste B, Roswell, NM 88203 | 575-624-6100 | 866-895-9138 |
| Southwest (Las Cruces) | 1170 N Solano Dr, Ste G, Las Cruces, NM 88001 | 575-528-5180 | 866-742-5226 |
Full, current contact details (including the Central Registry and intake lines) are on the Health Care Authority's regional offices page.
Sources
- NM Health Care Authority — DD Waiver and Pre-Service Intake Bureau.
- NMAC 8.290.400 — waiver eligibility criteria.
- NM DDSD Newsletter (April 2026): program enrollment counts, waiver renewals, and the continuous-allocation process.
- NM Health Care Authority Register Vol. 49 No. 19 (May 2026): repeal of the Supports Waiver rule effective June 1, 2026.
This guide summarizes state rules for families and isn't legal or benefits advice. Program rules change — confirm current details with DDSD or with us before making decisions.