SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 80

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Nancy Rodriguez

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO LEAD A TASK FORCE OF STATE AGENCIES AND OTHERS TO MAKE DECENT HOUSING AVAILABLE FOR PERSONS SUFFERING FROM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND OTHER DISABLING CONDITIONS.

     WHEREAS, the behavioral health needs of the people of New Mexico are serious and growing, to the point that behavioral health services are being separated from other health care under medicaid so that people can receive increased attention; and

     WHEREAS, this need for increased attention and funding is being given special priority through the recent creation and development of the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative, which will coordinate both services and funding; and

     WHEREAS, the new aging and long-term services department has established a housing subcommittee to study and recommend solutions for this long-neglected need; and

     WHEREAS, for years, the national association for the mentally ill in New Mexico has worked diligently to increase the availability of services for the mentally ill and others with behavioral health problems; and

     WHEREAS, a stable housing situation is critical to the provision of services to those with serious behavioral health problems; and

     WHEREAS, barriers to affordable housing include poverty; behavioral health issues; age, for both the young and the elderly; having a police record; and a lack of adequate housing for Native Americans; and

     WHEREAS, other issues affecting residential security include substandard group homes, various shared-living arrangements, unlicensed care facilities and unsupervised private housing of the elderly and mentally ill, where persons need assistance with medications and other needs; and

     WHEREAS, housing options in New Mexico are not sufficient to meet current needs, nor those in the foreseeable future; and

     WHEREAS, homelessness is often complicated by dual diagnosis and other behavioral health problems and a severely inadequate and often punitive response system;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the human services department be requested to lead a task force to investigate and recommend solutions to the many problems facing those persons who are homeless or have serious behavioral health problems and who lack stable living situations or adequate housing; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the goal of the task force be the creation of safe, decent and affordable housing for all New Mexicans; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state housing authority, the mortgage finance authority, the behavioral health services division of the department of health, the aging and long-term services department, the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative, protection and advocacy representatives, consumers and providers all be represented on the task force; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force provide a progress report to the legislative finance committee and the interim legislative health and human services committee at their respective October 2005 meetings, with a final report presented to the same committees in September 2006; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the state housing authority, the department of health, the aging and long-term services department, the legislative finance committee and the interim legislative health and human services committee.