SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 24

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

Sander Rue

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT JOINTLY CREATE A PRIMARY SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EFFECTIVE PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND MENTAL DISORDER TREATMENT SERVICES TO SCHOOL-AGE PERSONS IN SCHOOLS.

     WHEREAS, schools in New Mexico are experiencing increased instances of students exhibiting symptoms of mental disorders, including increased depression and anxiety, increased substance abuse and tragically high rates of suicide; and

     WHEREAS, a 2011 study showed that more than twenty-nine percent of New Mexico youths reported feeling persistent sadness or hopelessness; and

     WHEREAS, suicide is almost always the result of untreated or undertreated mental disorders; and

     WHEREAS, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among youth and young adults between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico schools are struggling with the effects of the lack of sufficient and effective methods for addressing students' mental health needs, including disruptions in the educational process, violence in the classroom, truancy and increased dropout rates; and

     WHEREAS, "[m]ental disorders are chronic health conditions that can continue through the lifespan" and "[w]ithout early diagnosis and treatment, children with mental disorders can have problems at home, in school, and in forming friendships", according to the federal centers for disease control and prevention; and

     WHEREAS, "[m]ental health is an integral and essential component of health" and "there is no health without mental health", according to the world health organization; and

     WHEREAS, the passage of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and New Mexico's expansion and restructuring of medicaid through the New Mexico centennial care program may afford new opportunities to identify strategies, more effective payment structures and innovative approaches to addressing and treating students' mental health needs in schools; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's juvenile justice system is weighed down by the lack of early identification and support services for school-age persons living with mental disorders; and

     WHEREAS, in 2010, five hundred seventy-six youths were incarcerated in New Mexico's juvenile justice system; and

     WHEREAS, it is estimated that seventy percent of youths in juvenile justice systems across the nation live with mental disorders, including twenty percent who have severe mental illness;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the human services department and the public education department be requested to jointly create a primary school mental health task force to examine best practices throughout the nation, identify methods for addressing major challenges and make recommendations for the effective provision of school-based mental health support and mental disorder treatment services to students; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretaries of human services and public education be requested to appoint to the primary school mental health task force the following members:

          A. at least five members from different regions of the state who represent school districts and at least one member who represents charter schools and who are knowledgeable about providing mental health support and mental disorder treatment services in schools;

          B. at least one member representing the human services department;

          C. at least one member representing the public education department;

          D. at least one member representing the children, youth and families department;

          E. at least one member representing the university of New Mexico psychiatric center or the university of New Mexico children's psychiatric center; 

          F. at least one member representing the city of Albuquerque task force on behavioral health;

          G. at least one member representing licensed mental health care providers who serve school-age persons; and

          H. at least one member representing mental health care treatment facilities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the primary school mental health task force meet during the 2015 interim and report its findings and recommendations for legislation to the interim legislative health and human services committee and the legislative education study committee by November 31, 2015; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretaries of public education, human services and children, youth and families, the superintendents of the state's school districts and the governing body of each charter school.

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