Behavioral Health

Behavioral health reform may come earlier than planned to parts of New Mexico. The executive committee overseeing the reform and development of services across the state announced early access funding opportunities at its meeting Tuesday. The state is putting up to $26 million to fund urgently needed services while planning the larger system. That’s about $2 million for each behavioral health region.

Senate Bill 219, legalizing medical psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, passed its last committee vote Monday, but still needs to pass a full house vote before it would head to the governor to be signed into law — but it only has five days left to get that done.

New public safety legislation signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham last month empowers courts to involuntarily commit more people found incompetent to stand trial, and also expands judges' options for community restoration and treatment.

Lawmakers heard arguments from the state's behavioral health administrator that the Legislature should use updated real-time data systems to inform their decision making, and improve access to behavioral health across the state.

The Bernalillo County commission on tuesday August 27 took several actions meant to expand the newly minted Bernalillo County Healthcare Authority. That included approving nearly $800,000 in funding for programs.

Bernalillo County has vacancies across more than a dozen boards, councils, committees and commissions. It put a call out Monday asking residents to “step up and serve the community” by filling the seats.

Alec Baldwin’s case is on track for trial in July after a New Mexico judge denied his request to dismiss it over damaged evidence.

Supporters and critics both made impassioned statements regarding the controversial behavioral health ordinance, which creats a new central authority for services around the county before commissioners passed it with a 3-2 vote.

A new, one-of-a-kind law took effect in New Mexico two years ago that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans. A new study on the law says results so far are mixed.

Ahead of the legislative session that starts January 16, several health and civil rights advocates are pushing for the state to invest more in addiction treatment and housing. They are also calling for the state to put fewer resources towards what they call criminalization tactics.