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 Lopez

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/23/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Bernalillo Transitional Housing for Women

SJM 19

ANALYST Escudero

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

Human Services Department (HSD)

Children Youth and Families (CYF)

New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

This Joint Memorial encourages Bernalillo County to initiate a Transitional Housing Program for

women recovering from substance abuse and requesting state agencies to become partners in the

project with the County.

•

Providing the clients of substance abuse treatment programs with gender-specific

treatments has resulted in longer and more successful treatments.

•

The tendency of women to leave treatment earlier than men has been attributed to the

inability of treatment programs to meet their complex medical, social and emotional

needs.

•

Effective substance abuse treatment for women helps halt a downward spiral that, if left

unchecked, may result in increased criminal activity.

•

Such programs are fundamental to public safety, preventing crime and protecting

potential victims of crime.

•

Substance abuse treatment programs for women with children that address women's

unique needs, including their relationships with their partners, families and children and

any history of physical and sexual abuse, are more effective than traditional programs and

have the additional benefit of assisting the children of those women.

•

There is no gender-specific long-term transitional housing program for women and their

children that serve the state of New Mexico.

•

The unique substance abuse treatment needs of women include child care services,

women-only treatment and prenatal care.

Senate Joint Memorial 19 – Page

2

•

Limited access to child care services is one of the most frequently cited barriers to

treatment of women seeking treatment, and programs that allow women to bring their

children into residential treatment experience greater lengths of stay.

•

The children of addicted parents have the highest risk of abusing alcohol and drugs due to

both genetic and environmental factors.

•

A strong correlation has been documented between parental addiction and child abuse

and neglect.

•

The children of addicted parents are at higher risk for being abandoned at birth, being

placed in foster care, running away from home and becoming homeless.

•

The children of addicted parents experience physical and mental health problems at a

greater rate than children of non-addicted parents.

•

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Legislature of The State of New Mexico that

Bernalillo County be encouraged to develop a transitional housing and substance abuse

treatment program for women with children that will address their unique needs and

create a positive living environment during the rehabilitation process.

The Memorial further requests that:

•

That the Children, Youth and Families Department, the Human Services Department and

the Department of Health consider joining Bernalillo county in the identification of

sources for funding for and the development and ultimate implementation of such a

program.

•

Also, copies of this memorial be transmitted to the County Manager of Bernalillo County

and to the Secretaries of Children, Youth and Families; Human Services; and Health.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

Per HSD, it is unknown what the additional impact is. While we have not quantified the impact

in a finite number it is know that staff time will be required among all agencies named to

participate in the Memorial.

According to New Mexico Corrections Department, there is no fiscal impact on the Department.

However, if the bill ultimately enables these women to obtain transitional housing and substance

abuse treatment, it reduces the likelihood that these individuals will thereafter commit substance

abuse and mental health related offenses. Thus, it could indirectly lead to fewer convictions, and

thus a decrease in the Department’s prison population and probation/parole caseloads.

Further, it could give these women, who could be on probation or parole and/or exiting one of

the Department’s two female prison facilities, another avenue to use to avoid committing new

crimes and to avoid committing violations of their conditions of probation/ parole. This could

also cause a decrease in the Department’s probation/parole caseloads, as well as increasing the

women’s chances of succeeding in the community.

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.

Because state owned prisons are essentially at capacity, any net increase in inmate population

will be housed at a contract/private facility.

Senate Joint Memorial 19 – Page

3

The cost per client in Probation and Parole for a standard supervision program is $1,019 per year.

The cost per client in Intensive Supervision programs is $5,151 per year. The cost per client in

Community Corrections is $4,589 per year. The cost per client per year for male and female

residential Community Corrections programs is $25,593.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

According to the Department of Health, gender is an important variable to consider in substance

abuse treatment. The proportion of females among clients receiving substance abuse treatment

has increased over the past decade, and female clients currently constitute about one third of the

treatment population. Reports have shown that female substance abusers experience a number of

barriers to receiving treatment, including those dealing with their child care responsibilities,

stigmatization, and inability to pay for treatment. Female substance abusers are more vulnerable

than male abusers to some of the physiological effects of substance use, and abuse among

females is rooted more often in psychosocial problems and traumatic life events. These important

gender differences suggest the need for specialized treatment programming for women.

(

http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/WomenTX/WomenTX.htm

)

With the transition of behavioral health services to the Human Services Department (HSD), and

with the majority of behavioral health services funding managed through Value Options under a

contract managed through HSD, the Department of Health may not be the agency to take a

leadership role in this process.

HSD states:

1) Housing Plan:

While SJM 19 states many important issues about the need for gender-specific

behavioral health treatment for women and for women with children, the conclusion that

‘transitional housing’ is required is not supported in the Behavioral Health Purchasing

Collaborative Long Range Supportive Housing Plan

(Dec. 2007) (herein called, the Plan). That

plan:

1.

Specifies concrete and feasible strategies to increase the access of priority consumers to

permanent supportive housing that meets their needs and choices in the community.

2.

Serves as a guide for local and state officials and stakeholders as they build supportive

housing capacity for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations in New

Mexico describing the essential “nuts and bolts" of acquiring or producing permanent

supportive housing in New Mexico.

3.

Articulates how the Collaborative and its community partners can leverage their own

limited resources and maximize consumers’ access to all mainstream affordable housing

resources provided by federal, state and local government programs for very low-income

households and persons with disabilities.

4.

Identifies the specific housing need among various populations and regions of New

Mexico.

5.

Serves as the basis to increase resources and to amend policies and practices.

Senate Joint Memorial 19 – Page

4

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

According to HSD, a cross agency Housing Leadership Team has already successfully

negotiated the first steps of implementing the Plan, and consistent with Collaborative practice

assures that consistency is developed across multiple agencies, as well as assuring the planning,

management, accountability and performance management of the housing initiatives.

SJM19 relates to the following:

New Mexico Behavioral Health Collaborative FY08 Strategic Plan, GOAL III: Promote

Behavioral Health, 6. Individuals, families and communities experience personal, physical and

social well-being, free of misuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

New Mexico Human Services Department Strategic Plan FY 2009, Improve Behavioral Health

Services, Task 4.2: Reduce adverse impacts of substance abuse and mental illness on

individuals, families and communities.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPACT

The Department of Health would be required to join in the process to conceptualize, identify

funding for, and in the implementation of the program for transitional substance abuse services.

According to HSD, SJM19 would require significant staff time, particularly from substance use

and housing specialist who are otherwise focused on the implementation of the Collaborative

housing priorities.

According to CYFD, this bill does not require any action. There is no appropriation contained in

this bill. CYFD would use existing resources to meet the intent of the joint memorial.

RELATIONSHIP

Similar to SB 137; however, SJM 19 deals specifically with women’s issues.

DISPARITIES ISSUES

According to HED, SJM19 would specifically address the needs for substance abuse treatment

for females considering their unique social, cultural and psychological characteristics and roles

in society.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

The Long Range Supportive Housing Plan will continue to be implemented.

PME/jp