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

SPONSOR Martinez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-4-06

HB

SHORT TITLE

CHIMAYO YOUTH CORPS DRUG ABUSE

PREVENTION

SB 519

ANALYST Lucero

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY06

FY07

$200.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB832, Relates to HB236

Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD)

Department of Health (DOH)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 519 appropriates $200.0 from the general fund to Children, Youth and Families De-

partment for the purpose of expanding the Chimayo youth conservation corps to provide drug

abuse prevention and harm reduction program services to youth twelve to twenty-one years of

age in the Chimayo area of Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $200.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any

unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert to the

general fund.

Senate Bill 519 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

CYFD currently has a contract of $70,000 with this program through Value Options.

Espanola Valley has long been an epicenter of heroin abuse. Two counties in northern New Mex-

ico, Rio Arriba County and Santa Fe County, rank number one and two in the nation for heroin

overdoses per capita. (New Mexico Regional Partnership Southwest Border HIDTA) Despite

several crackdowns by law enforcement, the region continues to have the nation's highest per

capita overdose death rate and according to the 2004 New Mexico social Indicator Report, Rio

Arriba County rates highest in the state for alcohol and drug related deaths. The drug related

death rate in Rio Arriba County is almost seven times the National rate.

Overdose drug deaths were greater than 50 per 100,000 in the Chimayo area of Rio Arriba/Santa

Fe Counties between 1998 – 2002 (Office of the Medical Investigator, Epidemiology and Re-

sponse Division).

For the last four years DOH has funded the Chimayo Youth Conservation Corps as a sub-

contractor of New Mexico Voices for Children to provide prevention services in Chimayo. The

group works with the Chimayo Crime Prevention Coalition to address problems in the area.

Two counties in northern New Mexico, Rio Arriba County and Santa Fe County, rank number

one and two in the nation for heroin overdoses per capita. (New Mexico Regional Partnership

Southwest Border HIDTA)

Gangs facilitate much of the drug distribution that occurs at the street level and are responsible

for much of the drug-related violence in the region. (New Mexico Regional Partnership South-

west Border HIDTA)

Recent trends in youth drug use have shown the first significant downturn in usage levels but

they remain at high levels. It has been shown that the earlier drug use is initiated the more likely

a person is to develop drug problems later in life. (New Mexico Regional Partnership Southwest

Border HIDTA)

Youth substance abuse can lead to many other problems, including the development of delin-

quent behavior, anti-social attitudes and health-related issues. These problems not only affect the

child but can also influence the child's family, community and ultimately society. (New Mexico

Regional Partnership Southwest Border HIDTA)

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

CYFD will absorb any additional administrative impact associated with passage of this bill.

CONFLICT, DUPLICATION, COMPANIONSHIP, RELATIONSHIP

Duplicates HB832

Relates to HB236 appropriating money for Santa Fe County drug prevention.

Senate Bill 519 – Page

3

TECHNICAL ISSUES

As this appropriation is specific to Behavioral Health Services, it is likely that the resources

would be appropriated and managed through the Behavioral Health Collaborative process.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The Department of Health commented that the Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative is

charged with overseeing all publicly funded behavioral health services. In general, intensive out-

patient programs are more cost effective and more effective than inpatient services because the

client is able to remain in the community, remain employed and have the necessary support sys-

tems available.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Funding may not be available to the Chimayo Youth Conservations Corps for expansion of their

drug abuse and harm reduction program services in the Chimayo area in Rio Arriba and Santa Fe

counties.

DL/nt

Senate Bill 519 – Page

4

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Nation

Lessons from New Mexico's War on Heroin

by John Burnett

All Things Considered

, August 18, 2005 · The successes and limits of the nation's drug war are

being played out in northern New Mexico, where the Espanola Valley has long been an epicenter

of heroin abuse. Despite a crackdown by law enforcement, the region continues to have the na-

tion's highest per capita overdose death rate.

Until recently, the historic town of Chimayo, N.M., a half-hour north of Santa Fe, was famous

for an epidemic of Mexican black-tar heroin use. Stoned young people died in highway acci-

dents. Junkies murdered victims for drug money. People were afraid to leave their houses, fear-

ing a break-in.

In September 1999, a massive assault force of federal, state and local police swooped down on

Chimayo, hauling off members of families who had for years been suspected of selling heroin.

Since the raid, locals say the daily violence, overdoses and burglaries are far fewer. Residents

have started several civic and youth groups to help keep young people out of trouble.

Life in Chimayo has improved markedly, but the drug traffic has moved to surrounding commu-

nities in the Espanola Valley, bringing with it the same overdoses and property crimes. Six

months ago, federal authorities staged a second big raid in the valley. This time, they arrested

scores of Mexican nationals who had picked up the drug business left by the jailed Chimayo

pushers.

Dr. Fernando Bayardo, a local anti-drug activist, notes that heroin abuse has been entrenched in

the valley for more than 50 years. In many instances, whole families share the dependence, add-

ing another obstacle to efforts to stamp out abuse.

"You have a grandmother shooting up with a grandchild," Bayardo says. "You have family

members shooting up together. It's not something the teenage son hides from other family mem-

bers. How are you going to change those unhealthy lifestyles and habits and develop new

norms."

This story was produced by Marisa Penaloza and edited by Andrea de Leon.

Senate Bill 519 – Page

5

Marisa Penaloza, NPR

New Mexico's Espanola Valley is characterized by historic buildings such as the Santuario de

Chimayo, which dates back to the early 1800s -- and by an entrenched heroin-abuse problem.

Melody Kokoszka, NPR

Spaniards first settled the Espanola Valley along the Rio Grande more than 400 years ago.

Though Chimayo's drug-related problems have improved since 1999, the heroin traffic has

moved to surrounding communities in the Espanola Valley.

An Addict's Tale of Redemption

Courtesy Wilfredo Azul

Wilfredo Azul La Luz Baez Otero Figueroa Rosario is a postdoctoral student at the University of

New Mexico. Listen to him tell the story of how he turned his life around -- from heroin addict to

county administrator and academic. Last year, he conducted a study on behalf of the New Mex-

ico Department of Health that looked at substance use patterns in the Espanola Valley of New

Mexico.

Senate Bill 519 – Page

6

Marisa Penaloza, NPR

A lieutenant with the criminal investigations unit at the Espanola Police Department holds heroin

seized from dealers. Dealers use color-coded balloons to denote different amounts of heroin.