Mental Health

The film shows how a family handles the diagnosis of schizophrenia in their youngest sibling. KUNM sat down with director Alethea Root-Dufraine and actor and co-producer Jules Bruff.

Social media has become a common way for people to communicate and share ideas. However, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory earlier this year about the effects of social media use on young people and their mental health after use of platforms has become nearly universal.

Back to school season can be stressful for students and according to national statistics, kids in the U.S. are experiencing a mental health crisis. New Mexico ranks 47th in youth mental health, with about 1 in 5 kids experiencing depression. On the next Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll discuss how mental health is key to student success.

Ten years ago then-Governor Susana Martinez froze the Medicaid funding of 15 behavioral health agencies in New Mexico after the state Human Services Department said an audit found “credible allegations of fraud.” While all the accused providers were later cleared by the attorney general, the incident severely disrupted the state’s behavioral health care system. On the next Let's Talk New Mexico we'll ask, "where are we now with our behavioral health care system?"

As Bernalillo County works to expand its behavioral health services, it’s looking into how to better tap Medicaid as a funding source. The county manager said her team isn’t there yet, but is committed to making it happen.

Young adults have faced considerable challenges in the last few years. From adapting to remote learning, then returning to school and dealing with gun violence. New Mexico was ranked 47th nationwide in a recent study, indicating youth have a higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care. KUNM spoke with a member of a state task force on student mental health to learn how schools can create safe places for youth to feel heard.

During a historically devastating fire season, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that wildland firefighters will receive a temporary pay raise and benefits like mental health services will be more readily available. Firefighters think the hike is promising, though it may not be enough to retain future firefighters in the southwest.

The New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus has had many themed performances over the years––ranging from marriage equality to trans rights. Now, they’re looking to open up a conversation about mental well-being.

You may have heard that New Mexico did away with out-of-pocket costs for behavioral health care. But, despite the way it's been widely billed, the state law only applies to a fraction of the people on health insurance plans in New Mexico.

This is the first story in the Mountain West News Bureau series " Elevated Risk ," a project powered by America Amplified , a public radio initiative....