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

SPONSOR Gonzales

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/1/07

HB 715

SHORT TITLE Northern NM Substance Abuse Treatment

SB

ANALYST Geisler

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

100.0

Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates: SB 334.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 715 would make an appropriation of $100,000 to the Department of Health (DOH) to

fund a traditional healing training program in northern New Mexico for treating persons with

substance abuse and related disorders. Any unexpected or unencumbered balance remaining at

the end of the fiscal year 2008 would revert back to the General Fund.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

DOH notes that the appropriation of $100,000 to DOH is not included in the executive budget

request for the Department of Health. Also, a training program for traditional healers does not

currently exist. Developing and administering such a program is costly and DOH would likely

need to work with Na’Nizhoozhi Center for them to do the training. Because of the limited

appropriation and the fact that this would be developing a new program, DOH would start with

funding training for Navajo traditional healing

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DOH notes that several recognized traditional healing approaches from various ethnicities exist

House Bill 715 – Page

2

in New Mexico, which include Native American traditional healers, Hispanic curanderos, the

Sikh communities, and other groups. Many Native American traditional healing practices have

been shown to be effective means of addressing substance abuse and related disorders in New

Mexico, utilizing interventions such as talking circles, tribal/sheriff/Governor/marriage sponsors,

sweat lodge peacemakers, prayer meetings, family group conferencing, and traditional healing

ceremonies (Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. Behavioral Health Centers ATR presentation,

Mr. Gus Abeita, 2006).

The federally funded Access to Recovery (ATR) grant currently managed by the Behavioral

Health Services Division (BHSD), funds traditional healing through substance abuse recovery

support services and has shown positive outcomes with this approach. The Navajo Nation

established the Na'Nizhoozhi Center, Inc. in Gallup in 1992. This program has also

demonstrated positive outcomes in addressing the substance abuse needs of individuals seeking

substance abuse treatment with the integrated use of traditional healing techniques.

HB 715 would make available to DOH funds to create a traditional healing training program in

northern New Mexico for treating person with substance abuse and related disorders. HB 715

does not indicate the type of traditional healing approaches that are included in the training or

background requirements, including education and/or experience, of potential trainees for

participation in the program.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

There would need to be collaboration with the Higher Education Department and/or the

Consortium for Behavioral Health Training and Research (CBHTR) to coordinate the

development of this training program. Additional funding may be needed for DOH staff for these

responsibilities. In addition, there would be some costs in administering this program.

DUPLICATION

HB 715 is duplicated by SB 334.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

HB 715 needs some clarification regarding which types of traditional healing are to be included

in order to guide the development of the program. HB 715 does not indicate whether the

intention is to use the funds to develop the program and pay for trainers and whether the training

should be free to the trainees or not.

GG/mt