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

SPONSOR Cisneros

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

01/22/08

HB

SHORT TITLE Expand Alcalde Treatment Center Capacity

SB 51

ANALYST Hanika Ortiz

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY08

FY09

$300.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Health (DOH)

New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 51 will appropriate $300 thousand to the DOH for expenditure in FY09 to contract

for an increase in the bed capacity for residential drug and alcohol treatment facilities in the

Alcalde area of Rio Arriba County.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $300 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the General

Fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY09 shall revert to

the General Fund.

The appropriation included in this bill is not included in DOH’s Executive Budget Request for

expenditure in FY09. The Governor’s budget includes appropriations for the range of services

that comprise New Mexico’s Behavioral Health System, including priority community services

and residential drug and alcohol treatment facilities.

NMCD notes that if the provisions within the bill enable more individuals residing in that part of

the state to obtain needed residential drug and alcohol treatment, it reduces the likelihood that

Senate Bill 51 – Page

2

these individuals will thereafter commit substance abuse-related offenses. Thus, it could

indirectly lead to fewer convictions, and possibly to a minimal decrease in the Department’s

prison population and probation/parole caseloads.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

DOH reports that the bill does not specify the residential treatment facility to receive this

appropriation nor does it specify the population to be targeted. SB51 also does not address any

coordination of activities with the New Mexico Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

DOH further reports that the services proposed in the bill relate to Goal 4, Task 4.2: Improve

access, quality, and value of mental health and substance abuse services identified in the

Governor’s Performance and Accountability Contract.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

HSD rather than DOH contains the Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD), the “single

state mental health and substance abuse authority" (SSA), which ensures that contracts for

treatment services are appropriate and effective. Both HSD and DOH are members of the

Behavioral Health Collaborative and engaged in planning, implementing and monitoring

services, including bed capacity throughout the state.

ALTERNATIVES

DOH further notes that the appropriation could be included in the HSD budget for behavioral

health services; as HSD contains functions related to behavioral health treatment in the

Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD).

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Funding by way of this bill may not be available to contract for an increase in the bed capacity

for residential drug and alcohol treatment facilities in the Alcalde area of Rio Arriba County.

AHO/bb