Pulse development · 2 cited sources · September 17, 2026
The Route From a Home-Care Framework to Household Support
Arkansas's planned waitlist service and a New Mexico pilot with funding running low show the separate work required to make care support dependable.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Department of Human Services Secretary Janet Mann announced a framework to offer supportive living services to families on the Community and Employment Support Waiver waitlist. Supportive living pays for in-home care that helps people with disabilities live at home. The CES Waiver has a maximum enrollment of 8,233 and a waitlist of 2,464. Families on that waitlist can access 25 out of the 29 services offered to enrolled families, but supportive living is one of four services they cannot use at present. The administration estimates the service will cost $17 million and will begin discussions with the legislature about short- and long-term funding.
New Mexico shows a separate condition once payment has begun. The state describes the pilot as financial assistance and training for informal caregivers. Emily Kaltenbach, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department, said 85% of participating caregivers reported reduced financial strain. She also said caregivers reported less emotional and physical stress, and that the department saw a significant decrease in emergency room visits among enrolled care recipients. Arkansas has named the missing service and a projected delivery date, but its plan still requires funding and PASSE delivery. New Mexico has an operating payment mechanism, but its funding condition leaves the same household question unresolved: when can waitlisted or qualifying caregivers plan on that support with any certainty?
Evidence
Each statement shown below is a verified claim this source supports.
- Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and DHS Secretary Janet Mann announced a framework to assist families on the CES Waiver waitlist.
- DHS will begin work to provide supportive living services to families on the CES waitlist.
- Supportive living services help individuals with disabilities live at home by paying for in-home care.
- The CES Waiver has a maximum enrollment of 8,233 and a waitlist of 2,464.
- Families on the CES waitlist can access 25 of the 29 services available to enrolled families.
- Supportive living is one of four CES services unavailable to families on the waitlist.
- Providing supportive living services to people on the CES waitlist is estimated to cost $17 million.
- Governor Sanders and her administration will begin discussions with the legislature about short- and long-term funding for supportive living services.
- PASSEs are estimated to begin making supportive living available to CES-waitlist families by January 2027 at the latest.
- New MexiCare is a pilot program.
- Funding for the New MexiCare pilot program is running low.
- New Mexico provides financial assistance through New MexiCare to some caregivers of adults ages 60 and older.
- New MexiCare caregivers submit timesheets and are paid $12.50 an hour.
- New MexiCare is described as a governor's initiative that provides financial assistance and training to informal caregivers.
- Emily Kaltenbach said 85% of participating caregivers reported reduced financial strain.
- Emily Kaltenbach said caregivers reported reductions in emotional and physical stress.
- Emily Kaltenbach said the department saw a significant decrease in emergency room visits among enrolled care recipients.
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