SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 34

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

INTRODUCED BY

Mary Kay Papen

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND DONA ANA COUNTY TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF LOCATING A SATELLITE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FACILITY IN DONA ANA COUNTY.

     WHEREAS, nonviolent misdemeanor detainees who are construed to be mentally ill do not belong incarcerated in corrections facilities; and

     WHEREAS, such detainees who are without family or individual resources cannot be released into the public population but need shelter, medication and assessment outside of the criminal justice system; and

     WHEREAS, the only alternative currently available is to place the individuals in the New Mexico behavioral health institute at Las Vegas; and

     WHEREAS, there is a need to locate a behavioral health facility in the southern part of New Mexico that could provide crisis triage, a mobile crisis team and pretrial services to nonviolent detainees who appear to be mentally ill; and

     WHEREAS, the existing medical center property in Dona Ana county could be expanded to serve as a behavioral health satellite facility;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the human services department, the department of health and Dona Ana county be requested to study the feasibility of locating a satellite behavioral health facility in Dona Ana county and report their findings and recommendations to the second session of the forty-eighth legislature; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the human services department, the department of health and the board of county commissioners for Dona Ana county.

- 2 -