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Researchers Highlight Gaps In Mental Health Services

woodleywonderworks via Flickr

University of New Mexico researchers are estimating one-third of Bernalillo County residents with mental health problems didn’t get the care they needed last year.

Researchers at UNM say over 150,000 people in Bernalillo county had mental health issues that needed treatment in 2013, but only 98,000 of those people received care from local providers.

The Albuquerque Journal reports researchers identified three major gaps in mental health services in the county—finding a lack of services for people in crisis situations with immediate mental health needs, people who need intensive outpatient care, and rehabilitative services to offer job training and education.

The survey comes just days before voters will be asked to weigh in on a nonbinding measureasking Bernalillo County residents whether they support raising taxes to pay for more mental health services.

Ed Williams came to KUNM in 2014 by way of Carbondale, Colorado, where he worked as a public radio reporter covering environmental issues. Originally from Austin, Texas, Ed has reported on environmental, social justice, immigration and Native American issues in the U.S. and Latin America for the Austin American-Statesman, Z Magazine, NPR’s Latino USA and others. In his spare time, look for Ed riding his mountain bike in the Sandias or sparring on the jiu-jitsu mat.
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