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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Vigil

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-2-06

HB 768

SHORT TITLE

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY SUBSTANCE ABUSE

TREATMENT

SB

ANALYST Hadwiger

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$300.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 768 appropriates $300 thousand from the general fund to the Local Government Divi-

sion (LGD) of the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) in FY07 for San Miguel

county to create a substance abuse treatment facility and implement court-mandated and volun-

tary substance abuse treatment programs.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $300 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY07 would revert to

the general fund.

The Citizens Advisory Committee at the Detention Center in Las Vegas indicate the total cost of

the facility should be about $715 thousand including $386 thousand for salaries and benefits for

staff, $116.4 thousand for rental and utilities, $108 thousand for kitchen costs, $52 thousand for

office supplies and costs, and $52.2 thousand to purchase a ADA compliant van to transport cli-

ents. It is not clear if local government will pay the balance of the operating costs of the facility.

House Bill 768 – Page 2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DFA noted that San Miguel County in northern New Mexico ranked fourth in the state for com-

bined alcohol- and drug-related death rates. San Miguel County and its neighbor, Mora County,

ranked third, and fifth, respectively, for alcohol-related death rates. San Miguel had the third

highest rate for alcohol-and drug-related hospitalizations. Rio Arriba, McKinley, Cibola, and

San Miguel counties bear a heavier burden, per capita, from deaths related to substance abuse

than any other counties in the state. These four counties, in northern and northwestern New

Mexico, have the highest alcohol- and drug-related death rates in the state. Various other indica-

tors, including hospitalization rates, alcohol-involved crash rates, alcohol-involved crash fatality

rates, DWI arrest rates, and youth substance abuse rates, show that these four counties are dis-

proportionately affected by alcohol and drug abuse.

The Department of Health (DOH) indicated According to the 2004 New Mexico Social Indicator Report,

San Miguel county ranks 7

th

in the state for past 30 day use of alcohol among 9

th

through 12

th

graders and

5

th

for past 30 day marijuana use. San Miguel also ranks among the top 10 for alcohol and drug related

hospitalization rates. San Miguel county ranked 4

th

in the state for alcohol related crashes between the

years 2000 and 2002. All Behavioral Health services including substance abuse programs are being co-

ordinated through a collaborative effort with 17 state agencies. Services will be required to flow through

the collaborative through a contract with Value Options - New Mexico (VO-NM). If this appropriation is

realized, the resources would likely be administered through VO-NM.

The Administrative Office of the Courts indicated the proposed legislation refers to implementing “court-

mandated and voluntary substance abuse treatment programs,” which could refer to anything from a 28-

day in-patient treatment facility to a court-run drug court program.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DOH noted that HB768 is not a part of the DOH Executive budget request. HB768 falls under

the DOH Strategic Plan, Program Area 5, Objective 1: Improve access, quality and value of men-

tal health and substance abuse services.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DFA can administer this appropriation with existing staff.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Relates to HB464 which appropriates $350,000 to the department of health for development of a

substance abuse treatment program in San Miguel county.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

DFA indicated the word "create" is not the proper choice. The bill does not create a substance

abuse treatment facility. This should be reworded. DFA was also concerned the language is try-

ing to accomplish two separate things. One idea is for the substance abuse treatment facility and

the other is to implement court-mandated and voluntary substance abuse treatment programs.

These are two different ideas. It is better to keep the language specific.

DH/yr