SB 252 New Mexico Senate · 2025 Regular Session

SOCIAL WORK TELEHEALTH SERVICES

SB 252 amends New Mexico's Telehealth Act to allow all licensed social workers to provide telehealth services. The bill directly affects licensed social workers in New Mexico who previously could not offer remote health care under the state's telehealth law. It adds "licensed social worker" to the list of defined "health care providers" eligible to deliver telehealth services, expanding access to remote mental health and counseling care. This change removes a previous barrier, enabling social workers to use video, phone, or digital tools for patient consultations without needing separate authorization. The bill was signed into law on April 8, 2025.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Signed Apr 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

introduced version → Final Version · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands the New Mexico Telehealth Act to include licensed social workers and counselors as eligible providers who can deliver telehealth services. The changes add these professions to the list of qualified health care providers and update the definition of 'originating site' to include community health centers and mental health clinics. This expansion aims to improve access to care for New Mexico residents by allowing more types of licensed professionals to provide remote health services.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from its original focus on existing health care providers to explicitly include licensed social workers, licensed counselors, and community health representatives as eligible telehealth providers.

ELIGIBILITY

Added licensed social workers, licensed counselors, and community health representatives to the list of eligible health care providers who can deliver telehealth services

Added certified peer support workers to the list of eligible health care providers

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'originating site' to include community health centers, mental health clinics, and other therapeutic health settings

Added 'licensed social worker' and 'licensed counselor' to the comprehensive list of health care providers in the Telehealth Act definitions

Added 'community health representative' to the list of eligible health care providers

Floor votes · Senate Mar 8, 2025 · House Mar 18, 2025

How they voted

33–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 40

Mar 8, 2025

D Democratic24

18 Yea 6

75% Yea

R Republican16

15 Yea 1

93% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 8, 2025

Signed into law

Signed

executive

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed House

lower

Mar 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Introduced

Sent to House Health & Human Services Committee & House Judiciary Committee

lower

Mar 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

passed Senate

upper

Mar 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

floor substitute adopted (1 amendment)

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS committee report adopted

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

DO PASS, as amended, committee report adopted

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

Sent to Senate Tax, Business and Transportation Committee & Senate Finance Committee

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors