On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, Dr. Teresa Arizaga, the Chief Behavioral Health Officer at Hidalgo Medical Services, will speak to the Rotary club on the subject of behavioral health.  

A native New Mexican, Dr. Teresa Arizaga learned the importance of serving her community and medical profession at a young age. As practitioners in the medical field, her parents were instrumental in instilling a good work ethic, compassionate care and a people centered approach in her practice. Dr. Arizaga is a product of the Silver Schools (Class of 1991) and obtained her B.A. in Psychology and Chemistry from New Mexico State University. Choosing to remain in New Mexico to be near her family, she earned her M.D. in 2000, completing her residency in psychiatry in 2004 from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She practiced at Gila Regional Medical Center beginning in 2005 and remained there for 15 years. She also ran a part time private practice for several years in Silver City, NM.

It is her hope to continue developing best practices with existing programs and to collaborate with GRMC, county detention centers, local providers, and with others. It is her vision to enhance behavioral health systems for children as well as proactive measures that can come with outpatient support, including drug and alcohol treatment. She believes that together, the potential for continued high quality behavioral health systems can be attained.

The Rotary Club meets every Tuesday from 12-1 p.m. for lunch in the WNMU Student Memorial Building, Second Floor, Sunset Room. There is a brief “meet and greet”, a short business meeting and then the speaker has the floor. The club welcomes members of the public to the meetings. If lunch is desired, pay the cashier $11.41 and go through the cafeteria line. If unable to attend in person, a Zoom link for the meeting can be obtained by email to info@silvercityrotary.org .

Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary is the world’s oldest and largest service organization, with more than 1.2 million members in more than168 countries. Since its founding in 1923, the Silver City Rotary Club has provided support and service to numerous non-profit organizations and civic causes in Silver City and Grant County as well as supporting and participating in humanitarian projects sponsored by Rotary International.