Preparing for a Public Sector Mental Health Reform in New Mexico: The Experience of Agencies Serving Adults with Serious Mental Illness

Abstract

In 2005, New Mexico began a comprehensive reform of state-funded mental health care. This paper reports on differences in characteristics, infrastructure, financial status, and available services across mental health agencies. We administered a telephone survey to senior leadership to assess agency status prior to and during the first year of reform. Non-profit/public agencies were more likely than others to report reductions or no changes in administrative staff. CMHCs were more likely to report a decline in their financial situation. Findings demonstrated that CMHCs, non-profit/public agencies and rural agencies were more likely to offer critical services to adults with serious mental illness in the first year of reform. The comprehensiveness of services offered by these types of agencies may be an advantage as the state moves to a core service agency approach.

The Effects of Behavioral Health Reform on Safety-Net Institutions: A Mixed-Method Assessment in a Rural State

“…As part of a larger mixed-method study of the latest behavioral health reform in NM (Aarons et al 2011b; Semansky et al 2009, 2012; Willging et al 2009), we employed a qualitative research design supplemented with quantitative measures and analyses to identify and contextualize factors bearing on the work environments of SNIs serving low-income adults with serious mental illness, i.e., schizophrenia, major depression, and bi-polar disorder. We took advantage of the strengths of qualitative and quantitative research, with the goal of determining the extent to which results of the two methodological approaches converged.…”

“…We also incorporated organizational-level variables collected as part of the larger NM study to help control for differences in organizational context (Semansky et al 2009, 2012). We included the total number of licensed and unlicensed therapist FTEs (a natural log transformation was used in the analyses to minimize the influence of large values), the percentage of funding received from public/governmental funding sources, whether the SNI was operated as part of a community mental health center (yes = 1/no = 0), and whether the SNI was a for-profit entity (yes = 1/no = 0).…”

The soft underbelly of system change: The role of leadership and organizational climate in turnover during statewide behavioral health reform.

“…We utilized survey and interview data collected as part of our larger study to categorize the SNIs (Semansky, Hodgkin, & Willging, 2011; Willging et al, 2009). In both quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, upper-level administrators were asked about the budgetary implications of the reform for their respective agencies.…”

Lost in the Rush to National Reform: Recommendations to Improve Impact on Behavioral Health Providers in Rural Areas

“…14,19–20 Two statewide surveys were also conducted with the directors of behavioral health agencies. 21–22 The second study comprised a short-term evaluation of a health home program for youth with serious emotional disturbances. This study was based on individual interviews and focus groups with persons either involved in or affected by implementation, and an analysis of administrative data to assess client outcomes.…”

“…31 Community mental health centers and non-profit agencies are the dominant providers of behavioral health services to New Mexico's rural population. 22 …”