NM secures funds to fight opioid epidemic

More than $6M to go to communities

Members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation announced Friday that the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration awarded more than $6 million in funding to combat the opioid epidemic in communities across the state.

The funding will go toward treatment, prevention recovery and research efforts throughout New Mexico.

A breakdown of the HRSA awards is below:

■ $2.5 million for 15 health centers throughout the state through the Integrated Behavioral Health Services program.

■ $2 million for Rio Arriba County and El Centro Family Health in Española through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.

■ $1.35 million for New Mexico State University to enhance community-based training for students preparing to become behavioral health professionals focused on opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders.

■ $304,560 for New Mexico State University to plan, develop, operate or maintain graduate programs in behavioral health practice to train psychologists to work with underserved populations through the Graduate Psychology Education Program.

“Taken together, the more than $6 million in funding we are announcing will help fund the comprehensive, multi-faceted approach we need to combat opioid abuse — including treatment, prevention and recovery,” U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said.