Michaela Merz launched Pecos Valley Public Services in 2022 as a Roswell-based state-recognized search and rescue unit, helping hikers lost in the desert and people stranded during flash floods.
But after participating in a state-run homeless outreach project, Merz met people living in Roswell and surrounding communities who needed more consistent help, particularly those in rural and underserved areas.
“We realized that we didn’t have to go out into the desert to find people in trouble, we have plenty of people who need help in town,” Merz says.
Pecos Valley Public Services adopted a volunteer, community-driven preventive care model to fill a gap that Merz saw between traditional emergency response and primary care.
The team of licensed EMTs, registered community first responders and advanced medical providers establish relationships with locals, particularly the unhoused and elderly. They perform everything from home safety checks and assisting patients with chronic health issues to nonviolent crisis intervention and minor surgical procedures in the field.
With the help of a grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, the nonprofit recently purchased a decommissioned ambulance and equipped it with telemedicine capabilities for its Digi-Doc program. Depending on the situation, the unit has either a physician or licensed advanced provider on board or can connect patients to such providers via telemedicine services.
The grant is part of BCBSNM’s Blue ImpactSM program, which awarded $866,000 in grants to 15 nonprofits across the state in 2025. The grants help address social and economic factors that affect health.
BCBSNM has a longstanding commitment to improving access to care in rural communities and other underserved areas, reflected in its health care plans, community grants and the Care Van® mobile health program, which in 2024 reached more than 16,000 New Mexicans across 53 towns.
“We believe that innovative, community-driven solutions are key to building healthier futures for all New Mexicans,” says Janice Torrez, BCBSNM president. “By investing in organizations like Pecos Valley Public Services, we’re helping to close gaps in care, ease the strain on emergency departments and strengthen the health and resilience of our communities.”
Emergency department visits have risen consistently across the country since 2020 and, at the same time, departments are operating with fewer resources but tasked with caring for more complex patient cases, according to a RAND report.
In total, Pecos Valley Public Services contributed more than 1,500 hours of volunteer service in 2024, seeing 50 to 80 patients weekly.
They don’t typically respond to emergency calls, but anyone can call the nonprofit’s 24-hour hotline number to request services. The goal is to address medical issues before they become emergencies, reduce avoidable hospital visits and support overburdened emergency departments.
“We are EMS so we can handle emergencies, but we are usually called for less urgent medical issues,” Merz says. “If it’s not an emergency or if the patient refuses ambulance services, we try to provide direct on-scene care to help.”
The organization recently acquired a second vehicle that’s been converted into a mobile exam unit to be stationed at pop-up visits in rural areas.
Pecos Valley also provides standby medical care at events and partners with local agencies to offer health screenings and free educational classes.
“Everything ends up in the emergency room, which is expensive,” says Merz. “We’re trying to interrupt the cycle.