Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the purpose of Public Health?
The purpose of Public Health is to prevent epidemics and the spread of disease, protect against environmental hazards, prevent injuries, promote and encourage positive health behaviors, respond to disasters and assist communities in recovery and assure the quality and accessibility of health services by serving as a healthcare safety net.

2. What are some of the priorities of Public Health in New Mexico?
Goals:

• Increase Access to Care
• Reduce Health Disparities
• Improve the Public Health Infrastructure

Objectives:

• Increasing immunizations to prevent childhood diseases
• Promoting physical activity and nutrition to prevent obesity and diabetes
• Preventing teen pregnancy
• Preventing teen suicide
• Preventing, managing, and treating Hepatitis C
• Expanding services to youth through school based heath centers
• Addressing local priorities through community health councils
• Preparing for emergency situations of disasters or threats in communities

3. Are public health programs provided by the County or the State?
State staff provide public health programs and clinics and/or they contract with private providers for service delivery in their respective counties. Most facilities are county owned and maintained according to state statute.

4. What clinical services are offered?
WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), CMS (Children's Medical Services), Clinical Services with STD and TB testing/treatment, immunizations, family planning, and breast and cervical cancer screening, and prenatal care in some sites are available.  Some local health offices have designated days for some services.

5. Does each County have a local health office?
Every county in Region 5 has a Public Health Office, with some counties having several local health offices.  

6. Do you offer services at special sites?
Yes, services are offered with mobile units, on military bases, in jails, at community centers, and at some high schools. The Border Mobile Health Clinic also serves sites in rural and frontier areas, especially colonias.  As part of the local safety-net for some places or populations, we may temporarily offer healthcare services for special community needs outside our local health offices.

7. Do you need an appointment for services?
Most of the public health offices require an appointment for services. However, many offices offer "walk-in" clinics for services such as immunizations. Please call the local health office in your area for more details.

8. What are the hours of service?
Generally, the hours of service are Monday through Friday 8am - 5pm. Some clinics offer extended clinic hours for sexually transmitted diseases and family planning. Please contact the local health office in your area for more information. 

9. Do you charge for services?
There is no cost for services provided at the public health offices except for Family Planning, which are based on a sliding scale fee.

10. Is my medical information confidential?
Yes. Under strict regulation of HIPAA, all medical information is kept confidential. Before commencing employment, all public health employees must sign a confidentiality agreement and are required to adhere to it.

11. If I have enrolled for services at one health office, can I obtain services at another facility without repeating enrollment process?
Yes. Through a computerized system, staff at public health offices are able to access your medical information from clinic to clinic. 

12. Do you accept insurance coverage?
Insurance information is obtained at each of our public health offices and then may be billed to your insurance carrier from the State Office in Santa Fe when appropriate.

13. Do you have to be a citizen to access services?
Verification of citizenship is not required to access most public health services. Although to access services for the WIC program, you must be a resident of New Mexico and present residency verification.

14. Who is eligible for services?
Determination of certain public health services such as Children's Medical Services, Family Planning and the WIC Program require income verification as part of the eligibility requirements. For all other public health services, anyone is eligible for services during our normal business hours.

15. Do staff members speak Spanish?
The majority of public health staff in Region 5 are bi-lingual. In the event that a client needs Spanish interpreter services, such assistance will be given.

16. Do you accept donations or volunteers?
Donations are accepted and volunteers are welcomed. Persons wishing to volunteer can obtain further information by contacting the Region 5 Public Information Officer at (575) 528-5197.

17. Do you have speaker’s bureau to make presentations in the community?
Numerous public health staff are qualified to speak on a variety of topics and are willing to make presentations to diverse audiences.

18. What community events do staff engage in?
Public health staff engage in numerous community awareness activities such as National Immunization Week, National Public Health Week, National Breastfeeding Week, World AIDS Day, and many other national health observances.

19. How does the Health Department collaborate with other local clinics and hospitals?
Public Health collaborates with other agencies in a number of ways, for example through coalitions or councils, task forces, special events, and referral networks.

20. Can school or civic groups visit Public Health Offices? 
Yes, these groups are welcomed to visit any of the public health offices with prior approval. Depending on the type of activity, persons may be required to sign a confidentiality statement.

21. Are health statistics and literature (brochures, pamphlets) available for the public?
Yes, please contact any of the public health programs listed in the phone book for brochures and literature. You may also contact the Region 5 Public Information Officer at (575) 528-5197.

22.How do I make suggestions to improve service delivery?
Any time you are in a public health office feel free to ask to speak with a supervisor or you may call the Region 5 Public Information Officer at 528-5197 or the Region 5 Quality Coordinator at (575) 528-5041.

23. How do I report a health hazard in the community?
There are several ways to report a health hazard in the community. Depending on the type of hazard, you may need to contact the NM Environment Department at (575) 524-6300, the Acute Disease Response Team at (575) 528-5758 (for Infectious Disease Outbreaks), or the State Office of Epidemiology at (575) 827-0006.

24. How can I support Public Health programs and clinics?
One of the most important ways to support public health programs and clinics is to become educated about how public health affects you and your community. Also, speak with your legislators and other elected officials to let them know how important it is to have public health services available for all members of our community.

25. How do I obtain Vital Records, what are the costs and whom do I contact for more information?
The Region 5 office has an on-line connection to the Santa Fe office regarding birth information for children 2 months of age and for individuals born from 1920 and forward. Prior to 1920, requests must be made directly to Santa Fe via mail, website, credit card request, in-person. Birth/death certificate requests may also be made via the internet web site: http://www.vitalchek.com. Birth search application fee is $10, filing of acknowledgment of paternity fee $10, death search application fee $5 (for a 10 year period); these are non-refundable fees. (Cash, check or money order accepted with in-person request.) Business hours for vital records vary in each Public Health Office. For more information call (575) 528-5046.

26. What kind of services do you offer for substance abuse?
A syringe exchange and disposal program is available in most local health offices. At the Region 5 Administrative Office in Las Cruces Southwest Pathways offers services for opiate replacement therapy (buprenorphine).  For more information call (575) 528-6006.