Behavioral Health

The highest level of care for a child who needs immediate mental health interventions due to being a danger to themselves or others. Services in an Acute program usually reach stabilization in 5-10 days.

New Mexico currently has four (4) Acute Units connected to hospitals for children and adolescents two (2) in ABQ, one (1) in Las Cruces and one (1) in Santa Teresa) and one (1) Acute Program that is NOT connected to a large hospital.

TFC is a specialized resource foster care setting for children ages 1 to 18 who require a more extensive and higher level of care to address their mental and behavioral health needs. TFCs are in a family home with a family who have received more in-depth training and have additional support from the agency. This program can be anywhere from nine (9) to eighteen (18) months and provides tools to children and adolescents to maintain healthy life skills, maintain school and home settings, and work within the family system.

New Mexico has a total of nine (9) agencies providing this service, four (4) in ABQ, one (1) each in Rio Rancho, Farmington and Roswell, and two (2) in Las Cruces. In order to qualify, families must live within an hour of the home office that houses therapists and treatment coordinators.

These programs offer in-patient treatment programs for children and/or adolescents for a period of six to nine months to best support their mental health needs. These facilities offer 24/7 care with a focus to treat symptoms and identifying underlying causes of mental health symptoms. These incorporate substance misuse treatment and specific interventions that include family systems work.

New Mexico offers a total of five (5) Residential Treatment Programs (RTCs), the RTC in Santa Teresa works with females and males ages 13 and up. New Mexico has three RTCs for ages 13 and up specific to working with males and one (1) of these RTCs specializes in working with sexual maladaptive behaviors.  There is one (1) private RTC in Los Lunas that specializes in Reactive Attachment for ages 8 and up.

Provide structure and services to individuals in a home-like setting for children and adolescents with complex needs. These services may include but are not limited to mental and behavioral intervention programs, substance use support programs, and reunification. Programs are designed to help youth gain and practice skills necessary for long-term success. 

New Mexico has three (3) group homes, one (1) in ABQ that focuses on LGBTQIA+ one (1) in Roswell and one (1) in Hobbs.

These programs work with adolescents 13-17 who are struggling with emotional or social difficulties. Programs are focused on renewing and rebuilding the client’s mental and behavioral health. Partial hospitalization is utilized as a step down from an acute hospitalization program or an intense in-patient program.

In New Mexico, there are three (3) programs of this kind, two (2) in Dona Ana County and one (1) each serving Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties.

Daily services provided for 12–17-year-olds who require clinical support to maintain stability, but do not require 24/7, overnight supervision. The focus is to address behavioral health needs as well as addressing substance abuse concerns. This requires multiple blocks of in-person programing per week for a treatment period determined by the provider. In-person services may include individual, family and group interventions as needed.

There are many service providers of this kind in communities across the state.

In patient services for teens who need 24/7 supervision and medical support while detoxing from substance use. These programs are beneficial in reducing problematic drug or alcohol usage as well as enhancing addiction recovery.

New Mexico currently has one (1) provider in ABQ providing this service.