New Mexico
New Mexico Corrections Department Must Provide Life-Saving Medication to Incarcerated People
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – As a result of a settlement approved by a federal district court Monday, incarcerated people with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the custody of the New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) will now be able to continue taking buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder, when they enter NMCD custody. The settlement resolves a lawsuit against NMCD, Corrections Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero, and NMCD Health Services Administrator Wenscelaus Asonganyi brought by Disability Rights New Mexico (DRNM) and represented by Katherine Loewe of the Law Office of Ryan Villa, DRNM and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico.
“We are relieved that people entering NMCD custody will now get the lifesaving medication their doctors prescribed them. Opioid use disorder is a disability and medical condition that most often needs to be treated with medication. In fact, medication for opioid use disorder is the only proven method of treatment,” said Tim Gardner, legal director of DRNM. “Without access to their doctor-prescribed medication in prison, people with opioid use disorder suffer painful and dangerous withdrawal and face a high risk of relapse, overdose, and death, both in prison and upon their release. It is cruel and illogical to deny this treatment to people, especially when such effective medications exist. This settlement is a step in the right direction in our state’s effort to tackle the opioid crisis.”
In 2023, the New Mexico Legislature passed Senate Bill 425, which requires NMCD to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to those in their custody. However, under the statute, NMCD is not required to start continuing medication for people entering custody until the end of 2025. In the intervening two years, were it not for this settlement, many people would have been forced off life-saving medication and exposed to heightened risk of overdose and death.
“Every addiction is different, as is every person who suffers from it,” said Shuana Brown, a DRNM client in another methadone case. “We must care about people on an individual basis. Since our stories are all different, our cures will also be different. I know the New Mexico Corrections Department needs a lot of work from the bottom up. Our lives matter, and I think it’s time NMCD adapts a totally different approach on how it handles inmates.”
This settlement requires NMCD to follow the medical standard of care and provide buprenorphine (which includes brand names Subutex, Suboxone, and Sublocade) to people entering NMCD who are already being treated with it.
“The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis and access to medication is a federal right. This settlement is a step towards ensuring that incarcerated people will continue receiving their life saving medication and remedying the violation of their rights,” said Katherine Loewe. “This is particularly important here in New Mexico where local jails from Bernalillo to Roosevelt County are stepping up and providing MOUD, only to have those medications discontinued for someone sentenced to NMCD. Now, people should be able to receive wrap around care just as they would for other medical conditions.
“Let’s be clear, a banket policy of denying people their prescription MOUD is disability discrimination under the ADA,” continued Loewe. “Every correctional institution should be providing continuity now. Nonetheless, NMCD has agreed to start providing buprenorphine 90 days after the New Mexico Health and Human Services Department promulgates rules. By statute, the state was required to promulgate these rules by December 1, 2023. The state has failed to do so. This failure to comply with the statute is delaying people’s access to buprenorphine and calling into question the state’s commitment to complying with SB 425’s requirements.”
The settlement will:
- Require NMCD to start providing buprenorphine to people entering NMCD custody who are currently receiving medications for opioid use disorder from a licensed medical provider;
- Allow pregnant and lactating people currently receiving buprenorphine while incarcerated to stay on buprenorphine after birth and after they are no longer lactating as long as clinically indicated;
- Lift prohibitions that prevent people in NMCD custody who reside at halfway houses like Men’s and Women’s Recovery and Crossroads Pavilions from being able to receive MOUD;
- Require NMCD to report quarterly about the number of individuals being screened and treated for OUD under the settlement agreement.
The settlement does not require the state to start people on MOUD if they were not on it prior to entering NMCD custody. However, by the end of the fiscal year, July 1, 2026, NMCD must begin assessing all incarcerated individuals and providing MOUD to those who need it pursuant to SB 425.
“People in prison still have a right to essential, lifesaving healthcare, including medications prescribed by their doctors,” said Lalita Moskowitz, litigation manager for the ACLU of New Mexico. “Providing this treatment for opioid use disorder gives people a chance to be free of the dangerous drugs that may have contributed to them becoming incarcerated in the first place. This is a critical step in addressing public health and safety concerns that affect all of us, including the communities incarcerated people return home to.”
Grant’s Monday Night Forecast
A few evaporating rain showers are possible again Tuesday with warmer temperatures. Windier weather later this week will bring a high fire danger back to New Mexico.
It’s been a warm day with a few isolated showers and thunderstorms across central and northern New Mexico. Some of that rain has made it to the ground, while other showers have evaporated before reaching the surface. Temperatures have climbed into the 70s and 80s for most of the state. Showers will fade after sunset, with mostly clear skies overnight and mild temperatures.
Even warmer weather is on the way Tuesday with lighter winds. More areas will reach the 80s by the afternoon. A few spotty showers will develop again, especially near the mountains, with some of that rain evaporating before reaching the ground.
Winds pick up Wednesday afternoon, with gusts between 25 and 45 mph. This will begin another stretch of high fire danger across the state. The strongest winds arrive Thursday, with westerly gusts of 35 to 55 mph. That will expand the fire danger statewide. A dry cold front will move through Thursday as well, but temperatures will only drop slightly, ending up closer to average.
Breezy conditions continue Friday through the weekend as the jet stream pulls more moisture into New Mexico. That will bring increasing chances for rain and thunderstorms this weekend, with a few lingering into early next week.
New Mexico
Landlord AC ordinance, Rio Grande water levels, Spotty rain, New legislative office, New Mexico Motorfest
Monday’s Top Stories
Monday’s Five Facts
[1] ABQ City Councilor aims to bolster protections for renters amid unseasonable warmth – Albuquerque city councilor is looking to make sure city landlords are not only providing cooling systems, but also ensuring they actually work when they’re needed. City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn spearheaded an ordinance in December of 2024, requiring all Albuquerque rental properties to have a cooling system. Now, Fiebelkorn is taking it a step further, hoping to establish cooling system performance requirements. The ordinance is expected to be voted on in final action at Monday’s city council meeting.
[2] Rio Grande showing dry spots in Valencia County amid record-low snowpack – Portions of the Rio Grande are now seeing dry spots earlier than expected. Officials say the timing is not normal. In Valencia County, parts of the river are already running dry. Near the river crossing in Los Lunas, the river has open pockets. Further south, it is being reported as dry as well. There is a slight positive outlook for the monsoon season, with forecasters and officials predicting a strong season in the Middle Rio Grande Valley.
[3] Very spotty rainfall, warmer, & mostly calm week – Warmer weather will continue building in across the state throughout the upcoming week. A few isolated rain chances will return Monday in parts of New Mexico, but some of that rain may evaporate before reaching the ground. Temperatures will continue to increase through the middle of the week.
[4] NM representatives celebrate grand opening of new office with open house – A new state legislative office made its debut for representatives Eleanor Chavez and Yanira Gurrola. The new location is just one of the handful of new legislative offices now open across the state. They hosted a grand opening for the building that was open to the public. Representative Gurrola says it’s just one step towards modernizing the state’s legislature. The new office will allow residents to stay more connected to each representative.
[5] New Mexico Motorfest 2026 takes place in celebration of Route 66 Centennial – Another Route 66 celebration took place over the weekend and this one was all about cars. The New Mexico Motorfest happened at the Expo New Mexico racetrack. Over 300 vehicles from classic hot rods to lifted trucks were featured at the event. Some of the proceeds went to New Mexico veterans.
New Mexico
Los Alamos Public Schools Students Compete At 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair
Students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School, and Los Alamos High School at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair at New Mexico Tech. Photo CourtesyLAPS
LAHS junior Tate Plohr and freshman Linus Plohr qualified to attend the 2026 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May in Phoenix, Ariz. Photo Courtesy LAPS
Los Alamos Middle School student Branden Keller was awarded the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 at the 2026 New Mexico State Science & Engineering Fair. Photo Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS NEWS RELEASE
Twenty students from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Mountain Elementary, Los Alamos Middle School (LAMS) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) competed, with several garnering awards at the 2026 New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro.
LAHS junior Tate Plohr qualified to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) next month in Phoenix, Ariz. He was awarded the 3rd-place Grand Award. Freshman Linus Plohr qualified as an alternate and will also be attending the Regeneron ISEF.
Students who participated in the state competition include, from Barranca Mesa Elementary, Sydney Chen, Mary Beth Kelsey, Lily Neale, Aurora Roberts Voss and Henry Rodarte; and Glyn Lo and Ernest Maupin, Mountain Elementary.
Students from LAMS who competed include Evelyn Fobes, Mason Garcia, Andrew Gilbertson, James Junghans, Sequoya Ke, Brandon Keller, Nejan Liyanage and Daniel Yampolsky.
LAHS students Julia Neale, Linus Plohr, Tate Plohr, Lilia Veteva, Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch competed at the senior level.
2026 Award winners:
Category Awards – Junior Division
- Animal Science, Cellular & Molecular
- Biomedical & Health Science
- Honorable Mention: Sequoya Ke
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, Software & Technology
- 2nd place: Nejan Liyanage
- Physics & Astronomy
- 1st place: Sydney Chen
- 2nd place: Mason Garcia
- Honorable Mention: Marybeth Kelsey
- Plant Science
Category Awards – Senior Division
- Behavioral & Social Science:
- Honorable Mention: Linus Plohr
- Earth & Environmental
- Honorable Mention: Lilia Viteva
- Embedded Systems, Math, Robotics, & System Software
- 3rd Place: Helena Welch and Kalliope Welch
- Physics & Astronomy
Grand Awards
- ISEF finalist 3rd place: Tate Plohr
- Brandon Keller received the CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Scholarship in the amount of $2,000. James Jungans and Marybeth Kelsey garnered Thermo Fisher Awards.
Other special award winners include:
- CO2 & Greenhouse Reduction Awards (Junior Division)
- Daniel Yampolsky, 2nd place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Sequoya Ke, 1st place, Biomedical & Health Science
- Brandon Keller, 1st place, Energy & Materials Science
- Andrew Gilbertson, 1st place, Physics & Astronomy
- CO2 & Greenhouse Gas Reduction Award (Senior Division)
- Lilia Viteva, 1st place, Earth & Environmental Sciences
- Office of Naval Research Award
- David Shortess Award
- New Mexico AVS Award
- Citadel Award
- Naval Research Award
- NM Network for Women in Science & Engineering Award
- Yale Science & Engineering Award
- Rose Baca Rivet Award
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