ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – 2025 is shaping up to be a transformative year for behavioral health in New Mexico. Not only are New Mexico state lawmakers promising to make serious investments in the system, but new community clinics are now accepting patients in several cities. 

It sounds like more are coming and that’s the goal according to officials with New Mexico’s Health Care Authority. Five new behavioral health clinics are now open, all operating under the agency’s new community behavioral health clinic program.

The idea is to relocate all sorts of mental health and addiction treatment services under one roof, making it easier for New Mexicans to get help when they need it most.

“We can’t just criminalize behavior. There are certain times where folks need that additional support, and we need to kind of give them those resources for treatment,” said Nick Boukas, a Behavioral Health Services director with New Mexico Health Care Authority. 

New Mexicans in Bernalillo County can now find that extra support inside a community behavioral health clinic nestled within the UNM Hospital campus. It’s a 16-room facility offering a full menu of behavioral health treatments for anyone who needs them.

“You can walk up regardless of your ability to pay. It’s open to everyone, and they will work with you and get you the services that you need,” said Boukas. 

The UNM facility is one of five new community behavioral health clinics now open across the state. There are similar facilities in Carlsbad, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and Farmington.

“Whether it’s for your child, whether it’s for your parent, whether it’s for yourself, and you need treatment for substance use, you need treatment for a behavioral health issue, or if you’re a veteran, you can go to that one place, and you’re going to get the resources that you need looking in one place, as opposed to having to go through the phone book and trying to figure out, how do I get this,” Boukas said. 

New Mexico is one of 10 states to receive federal money to implement the community behavioral health clinic model. 

Boukas says his department is already looking to expand this model to other New Mexico communities.

“We’re seeing other providers that are interested in doing this, because they realize that this is a program that not only do we believe in, but it’s also going to benefit them and the communities that they serve,” said Boukas. 

Rebuilding New Mexico’s behavioral health system one clinic at a time.

“When we talk rebuilding, it’s a little bit of everything. We need to modernize the system. We need support for infrastructure, but we also need staffing to go into that,” Boukas said. “But then also in looking at the programs and saying what needs to be updated, what needs to be added, and how do we do that in a way so that we’re not going to overburden the system, but also make sure that the services that they’re getting are what people need.” 

Rebuilding New Mexico’s behavioral health system is a major goal for New Mexico’s state lawmakers this year.

Legislative leaders confirmed there are significant investments already built into their state budget proposal.

“There is a very strong start and down payment when it comes to behavioral health, over $200 million addressing everything from behavioral health care professionals to housing to the linkages and many other components,” said state Rep. Nathan Small. 

Legislative leaders say they’re assembling a package of behavioral health bills, and we’ll hopefully get a closer look at those proposals in the coming days.