SENATE BILL 1034

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Dede Feldman

AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR COMMUNITY-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. APPROPRIATION.--Sixteen million dollars ($16,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of health for expenditure in fiscal year 2008 and subsequent fiscal years to provide community-based services and supports to persons who have a mental disorder, a developmental disorder, a brain injury or a substance abuse disorder or any combination thereof or who have been in a residential treatment facility, psychiatric hospital, evaluation facility or jail two or more times in the past four years and are eighteen years of age or older. The department may use the funds to provide case management or comprehensive community support services; counseling; individual or group therapy; day or partial-day programming activities such as psychosocial rehabilitation; medication; alcohol or substance abuse treatment and counseling; crisis supports; and supportive housing or other supervised living arrangements. The department may purchase services from a single behavioral health entity or provide the services directly or contract with another qualified provider to provide the services directly, and the department may use some of the appropriation to provide matching funds for the medicaid program on behalf of persons who meet eligibility criteria as set forth above. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall not revert to the general fund.

- 2 -