SENATE MEMORIAL 88

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Sue Wilson Beffort

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE INTERAGENCY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PURCHASING COLLABORATIVE TO CONVENE A STAKEHOLDER TEAM TO FIND WAYS TO SUSTAIN FUNDING FOR THE SCREENING, BRIEF INTERVENTION AND REFERRAL TO TREATMENT MODEL FOR USE IN INTEGRATED PRIMARY CARE AND SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CLINICS.

     WHEREAS, in October of 2003, the United States substance abuse and mental health services administration center for substance abuse treatment awarded the governor's office a five-year grant for screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment, SBIRT, services in New Mexico worth three million five hundred thousand dollars ($3,500,000) per year; and

     WHEREAS, through the department of health, the state awarded administration and implementation of the grant to Sangre de Cristo community health partnership; and

     WHEREAS, Sangre de Cristo community health partnership provides a clinical model of services within the health clinic setting based upon interventions that have been shown to result in a change in status of individual patients; and

     WHEREAS, this model of SBIRT saves the state an estimated ninety-seven thousand three hundred fifty-six dollars ($97,356) per month; and

     WHEREAS, to date, SBIRT has provided services to fifty-one thousand thirty-four New Mexicans through integrated services within thirty-six medical and school-based health clinic sites where behavioral health services were previously limited or not available; and

     WHEREAS, federal funding has ended for this program and state dollars are not available;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative convene a team of appropriate stakeholders to discuss a plan for the sustainability of the New Mexico SBIRT program in integrated primary care and school-based health clinics; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a funding plan be developed to include medicaid, general fund or economic stimulus money, as well as grant opportunities for sustainability; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the plan include the maintenance and continuity of the SBIRT telehealth network; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the findings and recommendations of the team be presented to the interim legislative health and human services committee by August 1, 2009; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative.

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