Fiscal impact reports (FIRs) are prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) for standing finance

committees of the NM Legislature. The LFC does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of these reports

if they are used for other purposes.

Current FIRs (in HTML & Adobe PDF formats) are a vailable on the NM Legislative Website (legis.state.nm.us).

Adobe PDF versions include all attachments, whereas HTML versions may not. Previously issued FIRs and

attachments may be obtained from the LFC in Suite 101 of the State Capitol Building North.

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

SPONSOR Gonzales

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/27/08

HB 369

SHORT TITLE Taos County Long-Term Alcohol Treatment

SB

ANALYST Geisler

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$140.0

Recurring

General

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to: HB 368

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Human Services Department (HSD)

Department of Health (DOH)

Corrections Department

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 369 would appropriate $140,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health

(DOH) in fiscal year 2009 to contract for long-term drug and alcohol rehabilitation in Taos

County. Any unexpended balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to the General

Fund.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Behavioral Health Services are now managed out of the Human Services Department (HSD),

since the behavioral health services division was transferred from DOH at the start of FY08.

HSD notes that HB 369 is not included as part of the behavioral health collaborative priorities or

strategic plan and is not included in the Governor’s FY09 executive Budget. A similar request

with an appropriation for $50,000 to DOH was introduced in the 2007 legislative session and

was incorporated into SB 611. The appropriation was included as a Special Appropriations line

item in the FY08 ValueOptions New Mexico contract with no administrative costs.

House Bill 369 – Page

2

HSD notes that the bill does not specify what type of long-term alcohol and substance abuse

treatment services would be provided, and how much of the appropriation would be used for

non-treatment services. It is therefore not possible to assess whether the proposals are likely to

be effective or to assist in recovery and resilience.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DOH notes that in Taos County in 2003, 43% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes involved alcohol

(Office of NM Vital Records and Health Statistics; 2003 data is most recent). Taos County ranks

8th highest in the state for alcohol-related (AR) deaths, 7th for AR chronic disease deaths, 5th for

AR motor vehicle crash deaths, 8th for adult binge drinking and chronic/heavy drinking, 3rd for

adult drinking and driving, 6th for youth binge drinking, 5th for youth drinking and driving, and

1st for youth drug use (New Mexico SPF-SIG State Epidemiology Profile, Spring 2005).

DOH also states that HB 369 would be strengthened by clarifying the intended target population,

the specific type of services to be contracted, and the specific treatment approach to be used.

Currently, all behavioral health treatment resources are administered by the Human Services

Department through a single behavioral health entity. Tri County Community Services provides

behavioral health services in Taos and Colfax Counties. Tri County Community Services also

provides out-patient alcohol and substance abuse treatment services and social detoxification

services in Taos.

RELATIONSHIP

HB 369 relates to HB 368, which would appropriate $84,600 for Alcohol Treatment Services in

Talpa, Taos County.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

Corrections notes that if the bill enables Taos area residents to receive long-term receive

alcohol/drug treatment and care, it reduces the likelihood that certain individuals will commit

new crimes (while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, in order to get money to buy more

drugs or alcohol, etc.). Thus, it could indirectly lead to fewer convictions, and thus a decrease in

the Department’s prison population. Further, by providing treatment services, it could give

individuals on probation or parole in the Taos area another coping mechanism to use to avoid

committing new crimes and committing violations of their conditions of probation/ parole. This

could also cause a decrease in the Department’s probation/parole caseloads. The contract/private

prison annual cost of incarcerating an inmate is $25,455 per year for males. The cost per client

to house a female inmate at a privately operated facility is $25,805 per year.

AMENDMENT

On line 17, strike Department of Health and replace with Human Services Department.

GG/bb