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Legislators

New Mexico's Behavioral Health Overhaul Must Avoid Ties to the Criminal Legal System

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

State lawmakers emphasized that New Mexico's behavioral health overhaul must prioritize treatment over incarceration, avoiding the pitfalls of the old system that relied too heavily on the criminal legal system. The overhaul, which was enacted this year, aims to rebuild the state's mental health treatment system after it was dismantled by former Governor Susana Martinez more than a decade ago. The new laws allow local communities to organize into behavioral health regions, determine their own priorities, and present those to the newly created Behavioral Health Reform Executive Committee for approval and funding.

Key Takeaways:

  • Concerns have been raised that the new behavioral health system in New Mexico may have a "criminal basis" rather than a focus on behavioral health, as emphasized by State Senator Liz Thomson, Chair of the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee.
  • The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Director Karl Reifsteck confirmed that the Executive Committee has established behavioral health regions, and AOC is working with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center to implement Sequential Intercept Mapping, a conceptual model that maps out treatment and support points for people with mental health or substance use disorders.
  • Lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns that the current model focuses too much on police, courts, jail, and prison, and that people need access to more than just a helpline when seeking help.
  • AOC Deputy Director Sarah Jacobs said her agency is working to develop a new model that involves less interaction with the criminal legal system.
  • The new law gives behavioral health regions and local stakeholders the power to determine their priorities, and the Executive Committee has veto power over regional plans that are overly focused on criminal justice.
  • The Executive Committee expects local regions to submit plans by July 2026, and the next meeting is scheduled for August 5.

Statistics:

  • Two pieces of legislation (HB 1 and HB3) were enacted this year to rebuild New Mexico's behavioral health system after it was dismantled by former Governor Susana Martinez more than a decade ago.
  • The new laws allow local communities to organize into behavioral health regions, determine their own priorities, and present those to the Behavioral Health Reform Executive Committee for approval and funding.
  • The Behavioral Health Reform Executive Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving regional plans, and has veto power over plans that are overly focused on criminal justice.

Sources:

  • Leah Romero, photographer at Source NM
  • State lawmakers (session recordings)
  • Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) Director Karl Reifsteck
  • AOC Behavioral Health Integration and Reform Administrator Esperanza Lucero
  • AOC Deputy Director Sarah Jacobs
  • University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM HSC)
  • Source NM (briefs and articles)
  • 988 NM Lifeline (https://988nm.org/)
  • Legislative Health and Human Services Committee (LHHS) Chair Liz Thomson
  • Rio Rancho Republican Senator Jay Block

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