Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service Closing Its Doors But Other Options Are Available To Those In Need
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
The closure of Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service (LAVNS) on Feb. 20 after more than 50 years of service marks the end of a significant chapter in Los Alamos.
However, it is not the end of the story; there are still options available to those who utilized LAVNS’ services.
LAVNS Clinical Manager Susan Edwards noted that there are several home health care and hospice options available.
Home Health Agencies:
- La Vida Bella Home Health & Hospice
- Presbyterian Home Health
Hospice:
- Ambercare
- Red Willow
- Roadrunner Hospice
- Del Corazon
Luján, Scott Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Develop, Demonstrate, And Deploy Technologies To Accelerate Nuclear Waste Cleanup
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wednesday, U.S. Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the Combining Laboratory Expertise to Accelerate Novel Solutions for Minimizing Accumulated Radioactive Toxins (CLEAN SMART) Act.
This legislation would build on the success of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship (NNLEMS) to accelerate nuclear waste cleanup.
The CLEAN SMART Act would codify and properly fund NNLEMS to leverage the best available science and technology of the nation’s national Read More
Think New Mexico: New Scandal From The Dark Money Group Opposing Medical Malpractice Reform
From Think New Mexico:
Since the session began, New Mexicans like you have sent 10,879 emails to your legislators and the governor through Think New Mexico’s Action Center, with more than half of those urging lawmakers to reform the state’s malpractice laws.
Last night, New Mexico InDepth reported that the dark money group fighting malpractice reforms has been delivering emails to legislators that appear to be from their constituents expressing opposition to House Bill 99 – but when legislators reached out to respond, their constituents said they had never sent those Read More
Reminder: LAMC Community Seminar Tomorrow
LAMC News:
Community members are invited to attend the first entry in a new free health seminar series hosted by Los Alamos Medical Center (LAMC) at SALA Event Center.
The first talk, presented by Tania Pence, DO, Orthopedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Specialist, is titled “Active Lifestyles And ACLs” at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12.
Attendees will be able to enjoy refreshments, prizes, socialize, meet a subject matter expert and learn about their health. They can do so all while enjoying SALA, a vibrant community event center at 2551 Central Ave.
Individuals interested in attending are asked Read More
Robinson: It’s Been A Long Road To Involuntary Mental Health Treatment
By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
©2025 New Mexico News Services
He was sprawled across the exit lane of a busy shopping center as I was trying to leave. I stopped my car and ran over to do something, but what? Two other good Samaritans joined me.
We dragged him out of traffic and called 911. He told me he was having a seizure, but it seemed more likely that he was wasting away from years of substance abuse. The fire department arrived in minutes, and the senior officer greeted the man by name.
“We see this guy ALL the time,” the firefighter said.
I knew the police have to contend repeatedly with the same folks Read More
Vaccine Integrity Project & American Medical Association Launch Vaccine Evidence Review Process For 2026–27 Respiratory Virus Season
AMA News:
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Vaccine Integrity Project, in collaboration with the American Medical Association (AMA), today announced the kickoff of a structured, evidence-based review process to assess vaccine safety and effectiveness for the 2026–27 respiratory virus season. The review will focus on immunizations for influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Building on the thorough evidence review completed for the 2025–26 season, this new effort will establish a structured and durable process for evaluating the science underpinning respiratory virus Read More
House Unanimously Passes Behavioral Health Compacts To Expand Access To Care
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Feb. 6, the House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 32: the Counseling Licensure Compact and House Bill 33: the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to expand access to behavioral and mental healthcare in New Mexico.
HB 32 and HB 33 round out the list of 10 compact bills introduced this session, all of which have unanimously passed the House, with two signed into law by the Governor this morning (SB 1, HB 50). These important pieces of legislation enter New Mexico into interstate compacts, which allow licensed, qualified healthcare providers in other Read More
Lawmakers Deal Blow To Governor’s Support For Fracking Water Reuse
Bill Co-sponsor Rep. Joseph Sanchez, D-Alcalde
By NICHOLAS GILMORE
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Advocates for the reuse of so-called “produced water” — a group that includes the governor — have been handed a big loss with not much time left in the legislative session.
After more than four and a half hours of testimony and debate, a House committee voted 5-4 Saturday afternoon to table a bill that would set a quick timeline for new statewide regulations allowing the reuse and discharge of fracking wastewater, a byproduct of oil and gas extraction.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has for several years expressed Read More
Read The Latest Letters To The Editor
Bill Would Overhaul Virtual Education In New Mexico … And Its Funding
Bill Sponsor Rep. Joy Garratt, D-Bernalillo
By ANDRÉ SALKIN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Supporters of virtual education, many wearing shirts reading “Save Our Virtual Schools,” packed into a room at the state Capitol on Friday to push back against a bill that would overhaul New Mexico’s online learning regulations for the first time in nearly two decades.
The changes include a slash in funding for schools that serve distance learning students to fix a crisis: a $35 million hole in the roughly $4.5 billion pool of per-student funding.
The provision also would prevent nearly $40 million in state Read More
Head Slapping No Longer Allowed In High School Football
SPORTS News:
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — In an ongoing focus on minimizing risk of injury in high school sports, the NFHS Football Rules Committee strengthened a rule related to illegal personal contact. Both revisions recommended by the committee were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The Football Rules Committee is composed of one member from each NFHS member state association that uses NFHS playing rules, along with representatives from the NFHS Coaches Association and NFHS Officials Association.
Previously, Rule 9-4-7 stated that defensive players could not use the Read More
Lawmakers Promise More Big Wins For New Mexico As Governor Signs Year’s First Bills
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs one of the first bills to reach her desk this legislative session in the governor’s Cabinet room on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. Bills signed Thursday included a $1.5 billion bonding package to improve New Mexico roads, interstate compacts for doctors and social workers and a prohibition on local governments operating immigration detention centers. Photo by Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
By Margaret O’Hara and Daniel J. Chacón
The Santa Fe New Mexican
As Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the first laws of the year to reach her desk, legislators Read More
Community Invited To Roundtable Discussion On ‘Health Care In Northern New Mexico: Changing Landscape’ Feb. 24
Community News:
The Los Alamos Community Foundation, in partnership with the Los Alamos League of Women Voters and Anchorum Health Foundation, will host a community roundtable discussion featuring local medical experts on the current state of health care issues in Northern New Mexico.
The event is 6:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at SALA Los Alamos Event Center, 2551 Central Ave.
Many residents have experienced firsthand how access to health care in our region is increasingly at risk. Health care systems nationwide are undergoing seismic economic shifts, forcing hospitals and clinics to Read More
Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service To Close Doors Feb. 20
From Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Inc.:
After 52 years of dedicated service to the communities of Los Alamos County and Rio Arriba County, Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Inc. will close its doors on Feb. 20, 2026.
This decision was not made lightly. For more than five decades, our organization has been honored to provide home health and hospice care to patients and families during some of life’s most vulnerable moments. Unfortunately, mounting financial pressures have made it unsustainable for us to continue operating.
Over the past 20 years, home health and hospice agencies nationwide Read More
February Is National Heart Health Awareness Month—Community Blood Drives Throughout The Month
Three opportunities to donate blood with Vitalant in the month of February. Sign up today at www.vitalant.org or call them today. Look for the Promo Code for a gift card. Photo by Bernadette Lauritzen
By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
Champions of Youth Ambitions
Did you know February is National Heart Health Awareness Month? Vitalant would like to help bring much needed awareness on how important transfusions are to the critical aspect of managing cardiac surgery patients . An estimated 50% of cardiac surgery patients require a blood transfusion and with it being the month of love, Read More
New Mexico House Passes $11 Billion Budget, Rejects Paying Counties With ICE Jails
Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Cruces
Chair
House Appropriations and Finance Committee
By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
At the halfway point of this year’s 30-day session, the House approved a proposed spending plan setting aside a little more than $11 billion in recurring spending with boosts in spending for a number of early childhood, health care and public safety initiatives.
House Bill 2, which currently proposes a 2.7% increase in recurring spending for the coming fiscal year, reflects an effort by legislators to make “responsible investments,” Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Read More
DEA And NFL Alumni Health Team Up On Football’s Biggest Stage To Tackle Fentanyl Crisis
DEA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For a third consecutive year, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and NFL Alumni Health (NFLAH) are joining forces to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and spreading a critical message: One Pill Can Kill.
Building on the success of the last two years, this collaboration supports DEA’s newest initiative, Fentanyl Free America, with the goal of reducing demand for fentanyl and protecting communities from its devastating impacts.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is often pressed into counterfeit pills designed to look like prescription medications Read More
Reasonable Malpractice Reform Benefits Every New Mexican
By DAYMON ELY
Attorney
Former New Mexico Representative
At its heart, the debate over medical malpractice reform is not about trial lawyers or corporate profits – it is about our most basic values. Every New Mexican deserves access to quality health care. And every New Mexican deserves justice when that care falls tragically short.
Medical malpractice is rare. Fewer than 1% of medical providers are responsible for the vast majority of malpractice claims, but when tragedy strikes and a patient is harmed or killed, that patient or their family needs to know that they can get justice in a Read More
Primary Care Conference Open To Health Care Professionals
HCA News:
The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) invites all primary care clinicians, clinic administrators, health system leaders, and Medicaid stakeholders to attend a one-day conference focused on advancing value-based care and strengthening primary care in New Mexico.
- What: Helping Primary Care Practices Succeed: PCPR VBP Program Winter Conference
- When: Thursday, March 5, 2026, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Where: Embassy Suites by Hilton, 1000 Woodward Place, Albuquerque, NM 87102
- Register Now Through Eventbrite: Helping Primary Care Practices Succeed: PCPR VBP Program Winter Conference
Medical Community Opposes HB 213 Citing Patient Safety, Surgical Standards, And Proper Oversight
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Local medical students, ophthalmology residents, and doctors provided public comments cautioning policymakers that eye surgery is complex, high-risk medical care that requires physician-led training, supervision, and oversight to protect patient safety. Despite references in committee to a stakeholder compromise, no consensus exists among physicians or professional organizations regarding the expansion of laser eye surgery authority in HB 213.
HB 213 was rolled by the House Health and Human Services Committee and will be heard by the committee on Wednesday Read More