By Mary Alice Murphy

Sen. Howie Morales, and former Rep. Rodolpho "Rudy" Martinez have formed a Mental Health Task Force to address the impact that could occur with the threatened withdrawal from southwest New Mexico

A couple of years ago, many behavioral and mental health providers across the state of New Mexico were blind-sided by being accused of Medicaid fraud in their billing and having their funding removed, but never given the opportunity for due process. At the time, because investigations were ongoing by the Attorney General's Office, leaving the agencies without public funding, the state brought La Frontera from Arizona into southwest New Mexico to provide help to clients in need of behavioral health services.

At least two former providers in the state have since been cleared of wrong-doing, while investigations continue in the cases of the other former providers, including Border Area Mental Health Services in Silver City, which continues to offer some local services, without public funding.

The agencies impacted by the investigations encompass those services that were federally designated to provide mental health services to those on Medicaid or receiving services through a sliding-scale payment system. The taking away of Medicaid funding left the agencies unable to serve their designated population.

For the Grant County Board of Commissioners' health and wellness authority, the Grant County Community Health Council, behavioral health has, for more than a decade, been listed as a priority, so the issue continues to be a concern.

Now, according to reports, La Frontera accuses the state of not reimbursing the agency for services provided and has threatened to pull out of the region.

Another agency brought in to provide services at Turquoise Lodge in Roswell recently departed from the city and left behavioral health there in disarray.

Taking a lesson from Roswell, Morales thought it better to be proactive in case La Frontera leaves the southwestern corner of the state. With its departure, the agency would leave many in the region without critical care.

Holley Hudgins, Gila Regional Medical Center marketing director, told the Beat that a preliminary meeting was held this morning to explore options and identify what could be done in the case La Frontera leaves the area.

"Howie and Rudy pulled the group together from people participating in behavioral health in the region to explore strategically how to prepare the region in case of a La Frontera departure," Hudgins said. "They want there to be as little disruption to clients as possible. Jed Rudd, our chief operations officer, is facilitating the meetings."

She said those attending the initial meeting included Gila Regional behavioral health unit personnel, representatives of BAMHS, Jim Helgert of the Recovery Management Center, and representation from the Center for Health Innovations and Hidalgo Medical Services. She said Ron Hall, Grant County commissioner, spearheading the county's proposed substance abuse treatment center, was also invited, but unable to attend the first meeting. He will participate in future meetings.

The preliminary meeting focused at a high level, according to Hudgins, by determining the problem and brainstorming the impacts, developing the purpose of the group, creating the parameters of what they will do, and deciding what needs to be done.

"They want to hone in on the key services to meet clients' needs, before creating a plan," Hudgins said. "They are exploring different models to meet immediate needs."

If La Frontera were to leave the region, the impact, if no one does anything, could be extreme, Hudgins said. "Gila Regional's ER would be overwhelmed; law enforcement would be overwhelmed; and HMS would be overwhelmed. I'm glad Howie and Rudy pulled it together."

She reported it was "a very good meeting. It was good to see key members of the community working together."