Southern New Mexico Office

In 2000 The Arc of New Mexico opened up a satellite office in southern Dona Ana County in response to the many needs of Spanish speaking individuals and their families. The area is a rural one and includes the communities of Anthony, Berino, Chamberino, Chaparral, Del Cerro, La Mesa, La Union, Mesquite, San Miguel, Santa Teresa, Sunland Park and Vado.

Individuals and families in this area are challenged by isolation, language barriers, poverty, lack of transportation, limited services and social opportunities.  One of the most significant identified needs was for greater awareness – on the part of both individuals with disabilities and their families – of their rights and of services and activities that could be available to them, and for advocacy skills to enable them to enforce those rights, obtain needed services, and participate in local community activities.

The good news is that The Arc has had a significant positive impact on the lives many individuals and their families.  During the past eight years The Arc has received $800,000 from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) to implement three National Projects of Significance.  The first project was a two-year community building project that brought parents and their family members together to experience the PATH process, form a local coalition, and help them access recreational and leisure activities of their choice.

Since 2004 The Arc has been administering a project for youth and young adults called El Poder de los Jovenes (Empowerment of Youth).  Project activities include:

• Community Service
• Futures planning (Person-Centered Planning)
• Technology Awareness and Education
• Project Advisory Committees
• Leadership Development
• Public Speaking and Presentations
• Annual Conference
• Participation on decision making committees and boards

The Arc recently received a small grant from The Arc of the United States and the Walmart Foundation to help students transition from school to the adult world.

Priscilla Salinas has been the Southern New Mexico Advocate in The Arc’s satellite office in Anthony, New Mexico for the past 10 years.  She is a parent of a young adult born with a developmental disability and has worked in the developmental disabilities arena for the last 20 years.  Prior to becoming an advocate for The Arc of New Mexico Priscilla worked in Early Intervention as a Child Development Associate with a Community Based Agency.  Priscilla can be reached at:

Southern New Mexico Office
950 Anthony Drive Suite #4
Anthony, NM  88021

Phone: 575-882-9208
Fax: 575-882-5579