New Mexico
New Mexico bishops call on government to ‘rebuild the mental health system’
NEW YORK – Echoing recent calls to action from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the Catholic Bishops of New Mexico have spoken out on the need for the government, non-profits, and citizens, to all come together to address public safety challenges in the state.
In a July 29 joint statement, the bishops of New Mexico specifically highlighted the need for the state to address mental health issues and alcohol and drug addictions, which they argue are the main root causes of the public safety challenges in the state.
A place to start, the bishops said, is creating a public private campaign.
“We believe that state leaders, anchor organizations, and advocates can come together to find the funding sources for treatment of mental health, alcohol, and drug addictions,” the bishops said.
“This would be the correct order of placing the horse before the cart,” the bishops continued. “It is essential, in the efforts of tackling the epidemic of behavioral health issues in our state, that these resources be in place before we have the conversation about mandatory treatment by the courts. We may not know the full solution, but everyone recognizes the need.”
“If we can’t provide the services for voluntary treatment, how will we ever implement a system for mandatory treatment?” the bishops added. “This responsibility falls on the shoulders of the government, non-profits, and every citizen of the state. This crisis includes people suffering from mental health issues who many times turn to drugs for self-medication.”
Grishman has floated multiple proposals related to mandatory treatment by the courts – expanding court-supervised outpatient treatment for people with mental illness, and/or broadening eligibility for someone who could be ordered by a judge into involuntary mental health treatment – in recent months. Essentially, the bishops argue that before those kinds of proposals are discussed by lawmakers everyone needs to come together to increase the number of resources that are available.
The statement was signed by Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, Bishop Peter Baldacchino of Las Cruces, and Bishop James Wall of Gallup. The statement was also signed by Allen Sánchez, Deacon Steve Rangel, and Rebecca Lucero, who are the respective executive director, associate director and advocate of the New Mexico Conference of Bishops.
It comes amid a push by Grisham for legislative action.
Grisham, a Democrat, convened a special session of the New Mexico State Legislature on July 18 to address public safety concerns in the state. Specifically, she focused on the need to reform criminal competency and mental health treatment standards, as well as issues with inconsistent crime reporting, pedestrian safety, gun violence, organized crime, drug overdoses, and recent fires.
Out of that special session the only bill that was passed was HB 1, which appropriates $100 million to support recovery efforts following the South Fork and Salt fires, as well as ongoing flooding. None of the proposals related to other public safety concerns – including mental health and drug addictions – passed, reportedly as Democrats look to address those needs during the next regular session in January.
In a news release on July 31, Grisham said that “the legislature’s failure to prioritize public safety for New Mexicans during the special session is deeply disappointing.”
The bishops of New Mexico, meanwhile, kept the focus on the need for mental health resources in the state. They maintained that if all sides come together they can rebuild the state’s mental health system.
“Together, we can rebuild the mental health system of the state,” the bishops said. “We, the Catholic Bishops of New Mexico, remain hopeful that the task before us can be accomplished in the same magnificent ways of the Early Childhood campaign and with the hope that these challenges do not also take us a decade to resolve.”
Follow John Lavenburg on X: @johnlavenburg
LAS CRUCES, N.M (KFOX14/CBS4) — A gun-tracking program that uses shell casings to connect shootings is already helping investigators link crimes in Doña Ana County, according to new numbers released by the New Mexico Department of Justice.
The effort is part of New Mexico’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center, which uses ballistic evidence such as shell casings to track guns believed to be used in multiple crimes. The program relies on the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN, a national database that compares ballistic evidence to determine whether shell casings may have come from the same weapon.
In April, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez described how the technology can connect cases across jurisdictions.
“There may be a shooting that occurs in Deming that’s actually connected to a crime gun that’s recovered in Las Cruces. We may find shell casings in Silver City that are connected to something that happened in T or C,” Torrez said.
Four months into the program, the Department of Justice said 210 bullet casings have been analyzed in Doña Ana County. Those casings helped link 32 incidents to 13 guns.
Jordan Salas reports on New Mexico DOJ data: Shell-casing tracking links shootings in Doña Ana County (Credit: KFOX14)
Statewide, more than 700 casings have been entered into the system, connecting 74 shootings to 31 guns.
One person reacting to the numbers said, “That’s crazy. Honestly, all those shootings all coming from that little amount of weapons is crazy.”
New Mexico officials say the system is designed to help law enforcement share information faster and build cases more efficiently.
Also in April, Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart pointed to a local case she said the technology helped resolve quickly.
“We resolved a homicide with a suspect arrest in four days. We know that those casings may lead to another 1 or 2 incidents in another city,” Stewart said.
Some residents said the technology alone will not solve gun violence, but they see it as a step forward. One person said, “I mean, growing up, like hearing gunshots in the distance. That wasn’t something crazy. I have stories of, like, friends who’ve gone to parties that had guns go off there. So, yeah, I would say guns are a problem there.”
Another person said, “I would think that it’s a good thing. I’m personally like, just anything to help the gun crimes, you know?”
KFOX14/CBS4 contacted Las Cruces police and the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office to ask how the leads are being used in local investigations, but we are awaiting a response.
RECOMMENDED: New statewide crime gun intelligence center delivers leads, officials say in Las Cruces
RECOMMENDED: Las Cruces farmers warn tight margins, rising fuel and fertilizer costs threaten future
Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.
- Who: New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez brought a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc.
- Why: The state claims Meta misrepresented harms to minors and created a public nuisance through its social media platforms.
- Where: The lawsuit is pending in New Mexico state court.
- How to get help: Has social media impacted the mental health of you or your child? You may qualify to join a social media lawsuit against the platform.
New Mexico’s attorney general is asking a state court to order Meta to pay approximately $3.7 billion to address what the state describes as a “public nuisance” caused by the company’s social media platforms.
The request comes after a jury previously found Meta misrepresented the risks its platforms — including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp — pose to underage users. The jury also imposed a $375 million penalty in the first phase of the trial.
The case has now moved into a second phase, where the court will determine what additional remedies, if any, Meta must provide.
According to the state, the proposed $3.712 billion abatement plan would fund a 15-year effort to address the alleged harms caused by Meta’s platforms. The plan includes funding for public education, school resources, law enforcement support and mental health services for children affected by issues, such as online bullying and sexual exploitation.
“This request recognizes the scope of the public nuisance that Meta has caused,” counsel for the state argued in court.
The lawsuit alleges Meta concealed or downplayed the extent of harmful activity on its platforms while publicly portraying them as safe for younger users.
Meta disputes liability, challenges proposed abatement plan
Meta denies the allegations and argues there is no legal basis for the sweeping relief requested by the state.
Attorneys for the company contend the proposed abatement plan does not directly address or stop the alleged harmful conduct and instead seeks compensation for downstream effects.
“What no court has ever allowed … is payment for the downstream effects,” Meta’s counsel argued, describing the request as “damages masquerading as something else.”
The court is expected to hear additional testimony during the second phase of the trial before determining whether to approve any form of injunctive relief or financial remedies.
In March, a California jury found Meta and Google liable for mental health harms suffered by plaintiff Kaley G.M., who became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child, awarding $6 million in damages, including $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages.
What do you think about the claims against Meta in this case? Let us know in the comments.
The state is represented by Raul Torrez of the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and Donald Migliori, Linda Singer, Michael Pendell and David Ackerman of Motley Rice LLC.
The Meta lawsuit is New Mexico v. Meta Platforms Inc., et al., Case No. D-101-CV-2023-02838, in the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico.
Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
-
Technology6 minutes agoGlobal scam crackdown leads to 276 arrests
-
Business12 minutes agoDisney’s ABC challenges FCC, escalating fight over free speech
-
Entertainment18 minutes agoWriters Guild staff union reaches deal, ending strike after nearly three months
-
Lifestyle24 minutes agoHe’s your ex, not your son. Unconditional love does not apply
-
Politics30 minutes agoCommentary: For all the chatter by mayoral candidates, can anyone fix L.A.’s enduring problems?
-
Sports42 minutes agoPrep talk: Southern Section Division 1 semifinals features matchup of boys’ volleyball powers
-
World54 minutes agoEurope Day: 40 years of ties between Spain and the European Union
-
News1 hour agoFrontier Airlines plane hits person on runway during takeoff at Denver airport