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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

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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.