Strategic Plan

ARCA Strategic Plan FYE 2026 – FYE 2028

Strategic Cornerstones

Celebrate Inclusion: Recognize ARCA’s efforts in integrating individuals with intellectual, developmental, and cognitive disabilities as valued community members.
Workforce Development: Focus on recruiting, onboarding, and retaining a skilled, competent, compensated, and satisfied workforce.
Premier Provider: Maintain ARCA’s status as the leading provider of community-based, person-centered, intermittent, short and long-term residential, employment, and day activity supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New Mexico.
Quality Services: Enhance service quality to ensure choice and control, respect and dignity, access to care, and community-integrated inclusion.
NeuRoads NM Expansion: Scale NeuRoads NM as the preferred provider of long-term residential and short-term community-based functional neurorehabilitation for brain injury survivors in New Mexico.

Executive Summary

Top Market Trends: The demand for traditional waiver services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is shifting from congregate living settings to family living settings and short-term, person-centered services through Mi Via (self-directed), community employment, and community support services. The State of New Mexico DDSD is committed to continuous allocations starting July 1, 2025, eliminating the waitlist for services. ARCA has seen rapid growth in both traditional family living and Mi Via supports.

NeuRoads Services: There is an increased demand for lifelong supports within post-

acute community-based services for brain injury survivors. NeuRoads is fully operational

with residential services. However, the effective delivery of support relies on attracting

and retaining a skilled, trained workforce, securing engaged funding sources, and

achieving positive outcomes for clients and families.

Efficiency and Innovation: ARCA continues to explore efficiencies in service delivery and support methodologies, including the use of artificial intelligence to enhance staff performance and quality of care. The organization focuses on continuous quality improvement initiatives to ensure the health and safety of individuals served.

Strategic Outlook for 2025: ARCA aims to form strategic partnerships, integrate advanced technology, develop leadership, address workforce challenges, and ensure financial sustainability. These initiatives are designed to provide service quality, operational efficiency, and overall organizational stability in the evolving field of intellectual, developmental, and cognitive disabilities.

Potential External Threats (Short Term/Long Term)

Staffing Shortages: ARCA faces severe staffing shortages, wage inflation, and skill deficits in the workforce. Retention of staff remains a top challenge due to low wages, workforce shrinkage, and an open job market. Professional rehabilitation therapists are in high demand, making it challenging for ARCA to compete with external medical facilities. This situation poses a significant threat to our organization.
Medicaid Reimbursement Rates: Reimbursement rates have not kept pace with inflation or market wage increases, falling behind the actual cost of services. Rates are based on retrospective data and do not consider current economic conditions. Intermediate Care Facility rates are rebased on a three-year cycle, while NeuRoads rates are negotiated through Managed Care Organizations and private contracts. Federal cuts to Medicaid could severely impact all services provided by ARCA.
Strategic Relationships: ARCA has limited strategic relationships with Managed Care Organizations, posing a financial threat, particularly to NeuRoads.
Leadership Succession: ARCA’s mature senior leadership must focus on internal succession planning to establish future leaders within the organization.
Data and Network Security: Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence raise potential risks and liabilities related to data and network security.
Market Competition: External agencies are merging and consolidating with national providers entering the New Mexico market. Aging capital that has not been renovated gives competitors an edge, with many boasting newer facilities and en-suite amenities. ICF/IID programs face threats from the ongoing allocations process, as families increasingly opt for family living or smaller community homes.

Top Strategic Priorities

Address Staffing Shortages: Ensure the long-term success of ARCA by acquiring and maintaining enough trained and competent direct support staff to meet the needs of every individual receiving services.
Maintain Sufficient Medicaid Funding: Collaborate with stakeholders, allies, trade associations, State Legislators, and the Executive Branch to prioritize the need for to protect Medicaid funding for intellectual, developmental, and cognitive disability services.
Customer Engagement: Listen to, observe, and engage with our customers to produce outcomes that meet their requirements, expectations, and desires.
Compliance and Quality Support: Operationalize a compliance, risk, safety, and quality support function within the Administrative Operations Division. Engage CARF International for CARF Accreditation for NeuRoads. Focus on National Core Indicators within the ARCA quality structure.
Funding for Brain Injury Survivors: Increase the funding pool for brain injury survivors to include long-term residential and short-term neurorehabilitation.
Financial Performance Initiatives: Continue initiatives to reduce administrative overhead, assess the efficiency and effectiveness of service models, and ensure long-term financial viability. Collaborate with a Development Committee to introduce new service models into the organization.
Social Media Presence: Enhance social media presence to market services, attract staff, and increase community engagement.
Electronic Documentation Systems: Establish electronic documentation systems for ARCA’s Human Resource and Finance Departments.

Characteristics of Success

Employee Recruitment and Retention:

Develop and implement a comprehensive staff retention strategy.
Create a career advancement structure for Direct Support Professionals through certification and competency training.
Identify and deploy internal succession plans for future leaders within the organization.
Develop and implement comprehensive supervisor/mid-level manager competency-based training, including employee relations, hiring, and retention.
Deploy a professional development program for service coordination, professional, and clinical support staff.

Customer Success:

Refine and simplify the satisfaction survey process for all ARCA services and survey segments.
Develop and deploy a service excellence metric that aligns with National Core Indicators.
Offer peer-to-peer opportunities for people served, including revitalizing TIPS training, ARCA Wellness events, holiday events, and other social activities.

Business Technology Excellence:

Develop and deploy electronic destruction processes to align with ARCA policies.
Complete file migration to Microsoft 365 to maximize data protection features.
Develop and deploy a plan to eliminate redundant software and processes.
Replace old network infrastructure in ARCA offices, including security appliances/firewalls and all switching equipment to improve network functionality and futureproofing.
Develop and deploy the use of HIPAA Compliant Artificial Intelligence to bring efficiencies throughout the organization.

Financial Sustainability:

Maintain administrative costs at or below annual budget approval.
Deploy and maintain a profitable business model for all services and operations.
Establish a development committee to identify and integrate new service models into the organization.
Implement a capital improvement plan to ensure proper investment in the modernization and maintenance of aging properties.
Collaborate with the ARCA Foundation to enhance fundraising and membership initiatives, ensuring a steady stream of financial resources for the organization.