SANTA FE – Financial assistance to support regional behavioral health planning is available through a planning funding announcement issued today by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).
Up to $45,000 will be awarded to one local, tribal or quasi-governmental organization in each of the state's 13 behavioral health regions to coordinate the development of regional plans for delivering behavioral health services.
"This funding will help each behavioral health region identify its priorities, engage stakeholders and create an implementation plan that reflects available resources and addresses community needs," said AOC Director Karl Reifsteck, a member of the state's Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act Executive Committee.
The planning funding process encourages stakeholders in each region to collaborate in identifying an entity – such as a local or tribal government – to apply for funding and coordinate the planning work required under the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act, which was enacted earlier this year. Entities applying for funding must have a letter of support from county managers in each of the counties within their regions.
The funding will help cover costs for regional behavioral health plans, including establishing planning committees, conducting committee meetings and community listening sessions in each region, and hosting workshops to map out behavioral health resources and gaps. The funding is part of the AOC's allocation approved by the Legislature for regional behavioral health planning in the current fiscal year, which began July 1.
Requests for planning funding must be submitted to the AOC by Sept. 30. Click here for the planning funding announcement with details about requirements, the scope of work for the organizations that receive the planning money, and registration for two informational webinars for city, county and tribal governmental and health and human services leadership.
"The funding will lay the foundation to build a sustainable regional network for delivering behavioral health services to New Mexicans," said Esperanza Lucero, the AOC's behavioral health integration and reform administrator.
