[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6131876,"mediaKeyId","5727759-07463161e7f2291c6575506400c44ef5","parentId",5727759,"title","Audit: New Mexico public health offices treated few MAT patients; DOH agrees to centralize outreach and set targets","audioSeconds",1748,"startMs",2734000,"endMs",4482000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727759-07463161e7f2291c6575506400c44ef5&start=2734&end=4482","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727759-07463161e7f2291c6575506400c44ef5/thumbnail_2734000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6131876/New-Mexico/Audit-New-Mexico-public-health-offices-treated-few-MAT-patients-DOH-agrees-to-centralize-outreach-and-set-targets","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131876-49c662bd8c644ad48bdd2fa4d16aabd7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770544819&Signature=bOQ2W0HduvlMIQIfRa5hfGA9jXYE~Rj~25srqXYj4r8YF6C9EgQT4Ev-5zmmNFcLK0ZF-NhTMgdD4WiEICRrwwFDKiMMgm-CaOce3~L8EkI88811kOoc3yyGe9Lw8TjnCY5K3ZBZ-Qrxk-ZL2-pEgU9Yo0vZC3ydq0NnjCZoPisigo5PQeLafWHFrY2pkQ~0A7N2mmByfKX-P1QCwl0TnqGPt5pI0~HWSWkD~tFJTt4APgnoR25tQmQzB21d4J48wrADMfAPYabA0-ZcbucCGdt2p8tyb-qhlU0r0MaJB2bsAsz6TDmz1vgfq6qLKSQ-Yu1BHBT8XLmTRKxojaFtlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Mexico Legislature","date","2025-08-18T00:00:00Z","article","A Legislative Finance Committee presentation to the Legislative Health & Human Services committee concluded that New Mexico’s expanded provision of medication‑assisted treatment (MAT) through public health offices has reached relatively few patients so far and needs stronger coordination, outreach and performance targets.

John Valdez and Maggie Klug, program evaluators at LFC, briefed the committee in Gallup. They reported that the Health Care Authority estimates roughly 9,130 individuals need MAT but are not receiving it and that, in the first year after DOH expanded MAT to public health offices (May 2024 onward), public health offices treated 324 patients in total—321 for opioid use disorder and 3 for alcohol use disorder.

“DOH has treated just 324 individuals in public health offices,” Valdez said, citing LFC analysis that public health offices accounted for only about 2–3% of Medicaid‑paid MAT claims in 2024. LFC found treatment was concentrated in southern New Mexico: Las Cruces and Otero County public health offices provided about 75% of public‑health‑office MAT encounters, in part because Las Cruces has operated a MAT program since 2007.

LFC identified multiple barriers: limited local staffing models (most sites use an existing nurse and clerk; Las Cruces has dedicated MAT staff), inconsistent outreach and marketing, fragmented oversight inside DOH and limited local behavioral‑health therapy options for MAT patients. More than half of public‑health‑office MAT visits occurred via telemedicine, with clerks and nurses facilitating virtual physician consults.

Key LFC findings and recommendations included:
- DOH treated far fewer patients in public health offices than estimated unmet need (324 treated vs. ~9,130 estimated need).
- Public‑health‑office MAT lacked centralized program leadership inside DOH and had no outcome measures tied to the expansion; LFC recommended creation of a state coordinator, centralized marketing, and performance targets for FY27 through the Accountability in Government act.
- LFC recommended DOH explore low‑cost coordination tactics (local coalitions such as Las Cruces’s “Opioid Plus 360”) and consider offering MAT from mobile health units to reach rural patients; LFC noted regulatory and operational hurdles for mobile dispensing, including a class E clinic license from the state Board of Pharmacy and DEA registration for narcotic treatment programs.

DOH Cabinet Secretary Gina DeBlasi told the committee the department generally agrees with LFC’s recommendations and described ongoing actions: expanding telehealth capacity, creating an uninsured access program for MAT, piloting dispensing and delivery of MAT through some public‑health offices, training staff and planning outreach through health promotion teams.

“We agree with the recommendations,” DeBlasi said. “The Department of Health is really the safety net provider within its communities…we don’t believe communities really understand what services are provided in public health offices.” She said DOH is working to centralize program management, hire an expansion coordinator and develop an implementation plan tied to FY27 performance targets.

During questions, legislators pressed several operational points. Representative Lundstrom called the low alcohol‑use‑disorder treatment count “completely unacceptable.” Committee members asked about tribal outreach; DeBlasi said the department has hired a tribal opioid response coordinator and is developing contracts to reach tribal members. Lawmakers also asked about juvenile MAT, corrections, pharmacy constraints and the potential to stock medications on mobile units.

LFC and DOH discussed funding: LFC’s report noted DOH received $7,280,000 per year since FY24 from a mix of general fund and opioid‑settlement revenues to support MAT expansion. Secretary DeBlasi said the department is evaluating opioid‑settlement and other funds to support long‑acting injectables and a pilot to dispense MAT from public‑health offices; she said DOH is considering a statewide outreach budget and plans to include performance metrics in the FY27 submission.

LFC recommended that if DOH, LFC and DFA set targets for FY27 and targets are not met, the Legislature should consider redirecting funding to other effective MAT options. The department has begun collecting new measures and conducting regional surveys; DeBlasi said DOH will submit an implementation plan as part of its FY27 budget request and is exploring pilots for dispensing and mobile provision of MAT.

The committee’s Q&A underscored cross‑agency needs: more referrals from SBIRT screening (screening rates have fallen since 2020), clearer coordination with the Health Care Authority and managed‑care organizations, better partnerships with local providers and nonprofits (including outreach to organizations that serve the unhoused), and stronger continuity of care for people released from correctional settings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Legislative Health and Human Services Committee Aug 18, 2025 9:24 AM - 12:32 PM","oneSentenceSummary","A Legislative Finance Committee report presented to the Legislative Health & Human Services committee found that New Mexico public‑health offices treated 324 MAT patients in the first year after expansion while state estimates indicate about 9,130 people need but are not receiving MAT.","taxTitle","Legislative Health & Human Services, Interim, Committees, Legislative, New Mexico","taxId",65389,"location","New Mexico","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6131881,"UNM Gallup highlights nursing expansion, plans LPN high‑school pathway for fall 2026",2371,236000,2607000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727759-07463161e7f2291c6575506400c44ef5&start=236&end=2607","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727759-07463161e7f2291c6575506400c44ef5/thumbnail_236000.jpg","/articles/6131881/New-Mexico/UNM-Gallup-highlights-nursing-expansion-plans-LPN-highschool-pathway-for-fall-2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131881-186eee0aac615bb8f591471242acc229/orig.mp4?Expires=1770544819&Signature=O0Rkwq-FKxqdFamgepjSOU-NBo1JMjR0Mnq1RryFAtgGadFZ7QpFFyK0kT2uNlRic28DRMuXog4Uwa7SJe7AsX-luWPR2nhHJ6nvrF9u9uG3gZvESxEnOe~qtMmh-SpbbFFpNUOy0hvVHFmoDMB9QxVITuCvIYTfPfhBiRb6Z3wBXAQ6BI2J6CfVR5E5V9vqSj7nYmncwfvXczIhKBsxdSiwUgweUTqwE-Z0sqzdfu~avE4RzmK-0iOMBuY9ONDdrtbku2DT18-tw38jmCEUb2ew5ElMGmxhMRJM-SYEov3IBmd92Gj-rQNuvBWSHPg2CSlW1zyhWikUcCHB~irtaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","UNM Gallup officials told the Legislative Health & Human Services committee in Gallup that the campus has expanded nursing and allied‑health training but still faces faculty and clinical‑placement constraints that limit how many new nurses the branch can graduate each year.

Sabrina Ezell, chancellor at UNM Gallup, and Jonathan Loomabaugh, director of the UNM Gallup nursing program, spoke to the committee about student success, program supports and a new high‑school LPN pathway the campus plans to start in fall 2026.

The programs matter because rural New Mexico faces nursing shortages and local training pipelines are a common strategy to keep graduates working near home.

Loomabaugh said UNM Gallup has steadily admitted 24 students each spring and 24 each fall—about 48 new nursing entrants yearly—producing what he called “a consistent pipeline of entry‑level nurses for our regional employers.” He told the committee the branch currently has an 85.6% retention rate from the last academic year and reported a 92.31% NCLEX‑RN pass rate for the most recent cohort.

The campus has expanded student supports including I‑BEST integrated instruction, campus childcare and scenario‑based simulation labs. Ezell said the nursing faculty endowment and prior nursing expansion funds allowed the college to hire a new LPN instructor and to grow clinical and allied health programs.

“Right now we’ve been admitting 24 students each spring and 24 in fall…ensuring consistent pipeline of entry level nurses,” Loomabaugh said. “One of them is still faculty recruitment. Full‑time faculty positions have been challenging to fill.”

Committee members pressed campus leaders on the main constraints to growth. Representative Jennifer Jones, who represents District 32, asked whether students in the proposed high‑school LPN program would be eligible to sit for LPN licensure upon graduation from high school. Loomabaugh replied that the campus plans for students to complete the LPN program while in high school and be eligible to take the LPN boards after finishing the program.

Several legislators asked about the faculty shortage. Loomabaugh and Ezell said recruiting experienced nurse educators is difficult because pay for faculty typically lags clinical wages and because many clinicians who hold bachelor’s or graduate degrees are not available to teach due to clinical staffing demands. Loomabaugh told the committee the applicant pools have been extremely small—often a single applicant per posting—and that limited faculty and limited clinical supervision capacity together cap annual graduation totals.

Committee members and campus staff discussed clinical supervision rules: Loomabaugh said students’ clinical hours must be supervised by a licensed registered nurse and that the program tracks clinical hours to meet graduation and licensure requirements. Legislators suggested compensating community preceptors and using broader county or clinic partners to expand clinical capacity.

Ezell described local high‑school partnerships that feed students into UNM Gallup’s health pathways, CCTE (center for career and technical education) and early‑college programs. The branch already teaches dual‑credit courses: 57 seniors were enrolled in health‑pathways dual credit this fall and 160 students were enrolled in CCTE courses, Ezell said.

The session closed with requests for data: Loomabaugh agreed to provide the committee updated demographic and placement information for nursing graduates and other health programs. Committee members offered to draft letters of support for sustaining grants that fund I‑BEST instructors.

UNM Gallup officials asked legislators to sustain the nursing expansion endowment and other supports while the branch pursues the LPN high‑school pathway and continued simulation and student support investments. The campus said those measures are intended to increase local hires and to encourage graduates to return to RN study after initial LPN licensure.

Looking ahead, campus leaders said doubling qualified faculty would permit substantial enrollment growth but that clinical‑site availability and qualified clinical instructors (registered nurses) remain limiting factors that need parallel solutions.","UNM Gallup told the Legislative Health & Human Services interim committee in Gallup that nursing enrollment and student outcomes are strong, but faculty shortages and clinical placement limits constrain growth. The campus plans a high‑school LPN program beginning fall 2026 and seeks continued legislative support.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6131871,"LFC overview: juvenile justice referrals down; committee hears calls to expand community‑based treatment",3595,7647000,11242000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5727759-07463161e7f2291c6575506400c44ef5&start=7647&end=11242","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5727759-07463161e7f2291c6575506400c44ef5/thumbnail_7647000.jpg","/articles/6131871/New-Mexico/LFC-overview-juvenile-justice-referrals-down-committee-hears-calls-to-expand-communitybased-treatment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6131871-d3bdae370289b63842362ffb19985e86/orig.mp4?Expires=1770544819&Signature=RA-a8A7T99qw7yOrlIXZRyba5jKNwfL9oYpcsn0ZrYVxUTvzA7C801ljequNzRpyh0smIajU9pdelFs45xvZ9YzOJzYHKV8BPy5gHN24BcL6p1hP~SeW2AFLC0eO6qTWNT4ZLmn5dhf8xJJESZSoJszcnJafElLdiAg67hO~xNToe-mZnlX0EsIngJz8Xjiml-FsP7E4fDJTlYhGgwFmv4kDC5p~cO1AFsdWym4D~ibuHHsizA8cQJK4sLtHUA-UEMmIvMD~RDLFYgKI4puw-rgg4eB27R7EM2PIniHZ8kNADVhllznNK026B~8BsfbhZjx2y9XbnSzoVKCJe1UduQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Legislative Finance Committee overview presented to the Legislative Health & Human Services committee described long‑term declines in juvenile justice referrals and secure commitments and urged investment in community‑based, evidence‑based treatments for at‑risk youth.

Carly Malone, new LFC analyst for CYFD and workforce, told the committee that referrals to juvenile justice peaked around 20,000 in earlier years and had fallen sharply during the COVID period; by 2024 referrals were roughly 7,000. Malone said the pre‑pandemic reduction followed statewide reforms that emphasized community alternatives and better risk‑informed decision making.

“Most referrals result in informal services,” Malone said, describing the system’s two pathways: informal community referrals (diversion, counseling, restitution) and formal adjudication leading to probation or secure commitment.

LFC noted the state’s secure commitment capacity has fallen: two state facilities (YDDC in Albuquerque and J. Paul Taylor in Dona Ana) have a combined capacity of about 156 beds; the average committed population in FY25 was 114. LFC said the state has shifted away from high reliance on secure confinement and toward community options.

Malone highlighted evidence‑based community treatments with documented returns on investment that remain limited in availability in New Mexico: multisystemic therapy (MST) and functional family therapy (FFT) are available largely in central New Mexico but have limited reach statewide. The LFC recommended CYFD consider expanding such services directly in areas without local providers.

The committee heard several follow‑up concerns from legislators:
- Data gaps and systems: CYFD officials and LFC acknowledged that legacy case‑management systems make some cross‑system data exports difficult; the LFC requested an updated analysis of “dually involved” youth (those with both child‑welfare and juvenile‑justice contacts). Malone noted the most recent published cross‑system study was a 2015 analysis that found 23% of juvenile‑justice clients had protective‑services involvement and 34% had some interaction with protective services.
- Risk assessment and detention decisions: LFC said validated risk instruments have guided reduced detention, but some recent changes to the tools and more overrides may have affected pre‑adjudication detention rates; committee members asked for a review of any tool changes and their effects.
- Availability of community services: lawmakers asked that CYFD and counties increase access to MST, FFT and other family‑based programs so fewer youth require out‑of‑home placement.
- Special‑education and developmental needs: multiple legislators urged that data on IEPs and learning disabilities be included in juvenile‑justice tracking because a large share of committed youth have special‑education needs, and better services could reduce recidivism.

CYFD deputy director for juvenile justice field services, Corey Adams, participated in Q&A and said the department is working to improve data access and interagency coordination, to update facilities plans and to review staffing and county‑run pre‑adjudication capacities. Adams noted that COVID‑era school closures were a major driver of the referral decline observed in 2020–2022.

Malone said the LFC is conducting a follow‑up evaluation on juvenile justice later this year to provide updated trend analysis and recommendations. Committee members asked that report include current numbers on dually involved youth, recidivism and capacity by gender and facility.","The Legislative Finance Committee presented an overview of juvenile justice trends showing a long‑term decline in referrals and commitments and continued emphasis on community treatment alternatives. Legislators asked for updated data on dually involved youth and greater access to evidence‑based family therapies statewide.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Audit: New Mexico public health offices treated few MAT patients; DOH agrees to centralize outreach and set targets

UNM Gallup highlights nursing expansion, plans LPN high‑school pathway for fall 2026

LFC overview: juvenile justice referrals down; committee hears calls to expand community‑based treatment