SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 15

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2008

INTRODUCED BY

Steve Komadina

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO STUDY A PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM TO RESPOND TO AND PROVIDE TREATMENT IN RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS FOR PSYCHIATRIC CRISES.

     WHEREAS, persons in apparent psychiatric crises who are not a danger to themselves or others are currently underserved by the mental health care system; and

     WHEREAS, early treatment of persons in psychiatric crises at inpatient psychiatric facilities can be less costly than if those persons are untreated and become a danger to themselves or others; and

     WHEREAS, persons suffering psychiatric crises and the mental health community are in need of an effective method of serving those suffering persons who are not yet a danger to themselves or others; and

     WHEREAS, the availability of inpatient psychiatric treatment facilities and other alternatives for the treatment of persons suffering psychiatric crises are limited; and

     WHEREAS, the prognosis for recovery of persons suffering psychiatric crises is substantially improved when early intervention and treatment are available and provided; and

     WHEREAS, a system that includes psychiatric emergency response medical teams and psychiatric urgent care clinics for short-term treatment options in a residential setting, with mobile capabilities to respond to psychiatric emergencies, can relieve law enforcement agencies from having to respond to persons suffering psychiatric crises; and

     WHEREAS, appropriate treatment of persons suffering psychiatric crises can include several levels of effort, including short-term respite facilities; alcohol and drug treatment facilities for persons in recovery who are homeless; semi-independent and independent living facilities for persons transitioning from treatment to recovery; and life skills training;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the human services department be requested to study a plan to implement a system of response to and short-term treatment of persons suffering psychiatric crises who do not present a danger to themselves or others; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the human services department be requested to report the findings of its study to the interim legislative health and human services committee no later than December 1, 2008; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chair of the interim legislative health and human services committee and the secretary of human services.

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