SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 23

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

John Pinto

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE INTERAGENCY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PURCHASING COLLABORATIVE TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO DEVELOP A PROCESS TO TRAIN, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND BEHAVIORAL THERAPISTS TO BECOME ACADEMIC CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN AND THEREBY REDUCE AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN SCHOOLS AND THE NEED FOR CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS.

     WHEREAS, the children of New Mexico are its most important resource; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico schools are challenged by serious budget and funding constraints; and

     WHEREAS, aggressive behavior in schools can result in costly destruction of property and unproductive utilization of both human and capital resources; and

     WHEREAS, training of parents, caregivers, social workers and behavioral therapists to serve as academic champions for children has been shown to be a cost-effective way to raise student academic skills, reduce the incidence of aggressive behavior and reduce the need for clinical interventions; and

     WHEREAS, OptumHealth New Mexico is under a contract to provide behavioral health and ancillary services to children and families in New Mexico in need of such services; and

     WHEREAS, no current program exists, nor is there funding to train, educate and empower parents, caregivers, social workers and behavioral therapists to become academic champions and better prepared advocates for children; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico parents, children and schools would benefit from such a program; and

     WHEREAS, cooperation is necessary among the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative, the public education department, the children, youth and families department and OptumHealth New Mexico in order to develop a coordinated, cohesive and unified approach to reducing youth violence and aggressive behaviors in the schools and improving educational outcomes for children;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative be requested to convene a task force to develop a process to train, educate and empower parents, caregivers, social workers and behavioral therapists to become academic champions for children and thereby reduce aggressive behavior in schools and the need for clinical interventions; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force develop recommended changes to the contract with OptumHealth to ensure adequate funding for training and support systems for this purpose, including consideration of establishment of a pilot program; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the task force include representation from the public education department, the children, youth and families department and other appropriate agencies and individuals; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force present a report of its findings and recommendations to the interim legislative health and human services committee and the governor by October 2011 and to all the members of the legislature when the second session of the fiftieth legislature convenes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chief executive officer of the interagency behavioral health purchasing collaborative, the secretary of public education, the secretary of children, youth and families, the chief executive officer of OptumHealth New Mexico and the governor.

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