U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury

STATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As New Mexico communities face intersecting opioid, mental health, and substance use crises, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) voted to pass critical legislation expanding over 30 programs that collectively support opioid response, mental health care, and substance use disorder prevention across the nation.

Statewide, just 12% of New Mexicans have access to behavioral health services.

Rep. Stansbury also is working on a legislative framework to bring a more holistic approach to addressing public safety, behavioral health, addiction recovery, and wraparound services in New Mexico communities.

“Our communities are facing an interconnected behavioral health, opioid, and public safety crisis,” Rep. Stansbury said. “As we work on behavioral health legislation that meets the needs of our communities, I am proud to vote today to strengthen more than 30 programs to help address mental and behavioral health care, help our health care providers treat opioid addiction, and expand recovery and support services.”

The Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act (H.R. 7666): 

• Strengthens Medicaid behavioral health services for children;
• Supports additional adult suicide prevention services, and treatment for those with serious mental illnesses, mental health support for pregnant or postpartum women, and peer support—including virtual platforms;
• Invests in the Community Mental Health Services Block Grants for states, territories, and Tribes to provide services for adults and children with serious mental health conditions—requiring that five percent of funding be used for crisis-care services and allowing, for the first time, up to five percent of the funds to be used for early intervention activities; 
• Eliminates barriers in access to methadone, another evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorders. These barriers can prevent patients from getting timely access to treatment; and 
• Supports several programs intended to provide services for a range of ages and mental health needs from infant and early childhood mental health promotion to comprehensive community services for children with serious emotional disturbances.

Rep. Stansbury is a member of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, and recently convened a roundtable of 10 behavioral health providers and community organizations in Albuquerque’s International District to hear from practitioners and the community about their needs, challenges, and opportunities.