Region 6 Behavioral Health Plan Targets June 30 Completion After Listening Sessions

Dan Otero, CEO of Hidalgo Medical Services, pushed for a dedicated workforce focus during the final round of public listening sessions that will shape a regional behavioral health proposal due June 30.

"There needs to be much more emphasis around health care clinician well-being, resources and support in our region," Otero said. "No matter which organization they work for, they have a very hard job dealing with all this, and I think there needs to be a whole workforce component."

The Silver City session last Thursday was the last of three county gatherings before representatives from Hidalgo, Luna and Grant counties convene for a final regional workshop and prioritization meeting. Together, those three counties form Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act Region 6. Earlier sessions were held in Hidalgo County and Luna County. The Silver City session drew health care providers, elected officials, law enforcement and community members.

Luna County Manager Chris Brice and behavioral health coordinator Heather Edwards are leading the Region 6 effort. The listening sessions and the upcoming workshop are steps toward developing an Enhanced Sequential Intercept Model (E-SIM) for the three-county area.

Beyond the workforce concerns Otero raised, participants identified support for first responders, housing and job availability, and food insecurity as factors affecting behavioral health across the region. Those needs mirror priorities surfaced elsewhere in New Mexico: a January report from the Administrative Office of the Courts, which oversees the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act, identified access to care, workforce development, crisis care, housing, community-based programs, transportation and school support as common priorities in other regions.

Participants also named regional strengths, including access to nature, strong family connections, a culture of acceptance, youth sports, counseling in schools and the number of local providers.

Once the final regional workshop produces a prioritized framework, the completed proposal will be posted for public review. The goal is to have a link to the document on each of the three county government websites so residents can view it and submit input before implementation moves forward.