This letter is provided as opinion/commentary from the authors. Commissioner Adriann Barboa represents District 3 which includes the SE heights, UNM, and the International District. Commissioner Eric Olivas represents District 5 including much of the NE Heights, Uptown, the Foothills and the East Mountains.
Editor’s Note: The Behavioral Health Authority Ordinance will be considered for final action at tonight’s [May 28] meeting of the Bernalillo County Commission in the Ken Sanchez Commission Chambers at 415 Silver St. SW. Members of the public are encouraged to review the ordinance and offer your comments or suggestions at the meeting in person, via zoom, or via email to commission@bernco.gov.
We have a homelessness crisis in our community along with pockets of violence and severe poverty. Intertwined in these problems is a mental health crisis that exacerbates these challenges. Mental health conditions are also common and equally devastating for individuals with stable housing, but the acute issue is most apparent in many of the mentally unstable and/or drug addicted individuals we see on our streets. Multiple factors contribute to the problem, including the lack of affordable housing, untreated health and mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. It’s also important to note that those who are in need must first agree to pursue these treatment and housing options, which is an extraordinary challenge that must be addressed.
How do we do better and improve the lives of people across our community and make our neighborhoods safer?
Since 2014, Bernalillo County has collected hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars dedicated to mental health in our community, which includes housing support and drug and alcohol treatment. Despite nearly ten years of operation, there is little legislation that undergirds this multimillion-dollar taxpayer investment.
Bernalillo County Commissioners Adriann Barboa and Eric Olivas have introduced a comprehensive Behavioral Health Authority Ordinance to stipulate the priorities for all behavioral health funds, so residents know how their dollars are being spent.
Behavioral Health conditions transcend politics and economic status. We all know someone that has been afflicted and all sides of the political spectrum agree that we must do better for both moral and economic purposes. The proposed ordinance sets a proactive vision for the future of our community that we can all be proud of.
This legislation creates the Behavioral Health Authority, with strong accountability built in through a new Deputy County Manager. We are excited to welcome Dr. Wayne Lindstrom to this new position. Dr. Lindstrom has decades of experience in the behavioral health field including leadership roles at the state and in the private sector. The County will finally be expected to regularly report contract compliance and real-time data on intakes, beds, program utilization, staffing, and fund reversions through a public-facing data dashboard.
The Behavioral Health Authority has a clear purpose and mission set by the commission and held accountable through regular updates and a volunteer oversight and advisory board that reports directly to the County Commission. Community roles in the Behavioral Health Authority span everything from technical advisory on key issues; a community council for outreach, education, and feedback; and strategic planning and oversight by professionals and key players in the field of behavioral health collaborating with diverse community stakeholders ranging from indigenous peoples to youth services representatives.
The Behavioral Health Authority is heavy on data, committing the county to work with providers and regional partners to collect and universally share data to improve outcomes, learn what works, and build efficiencies to ultimately serve more of our community at a higher standard.
The Behavioral Health Authority Ordinance commits Bernalillo County to leading our region and being a pacesetter in the state for high-quality, efficient, and holistic behavioral health care centered around prevention, intervention, and treatment of behavioral health and connected conditions. This change endeavors to better serve the most vulnerable in our community with accountability.