Committee Substitute February 12 in SFC:

SFCcs/SB 2: The Senate Finance Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2 revises certain language regarding the purpose of the appropriation to the courts, adding that it is for the purposes of:

(1) funding to judicial districts or criminal justice coordinating councils based on the submitted regional plans to enhance regional case management, behavioral health grant writing, peer-operated crisis response and recovery support services, behavioral health, homeless outreach and engagement and family support services; and 

(2) funding to judicial districts based on the submitted regional plans, sequential intercept mapping identified gaps or identified need of the local judicial district for specialty, diversion, problem-solving and treatment courts and associated programs and pretrial services. The administrative office of the courts shall develop program models, standards, guidelines and program evaluation requirements for implementing, enhancing and expanding court related programs.

For all detailed appropriations, any unexpended funds are to revert to the Behavioral Health Trust Fund, with the exception of the last three appropriations on the list below (and in those cases, unexpended funds go to the Government Results and Opportunity Program Fund).

Certain appropriations are added, as follows:

Nine million dollars ($9,000,000) is appropriated from the General Fund to the Health Care Authority for expenditure in Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027 to expand patient navigation to behavioral health services through a no-wrong-door approach through updates to the YES-NM customer portal and the find help closed-loop referral system to facilitate direct and immediate connections to available behavioral health services for individuals, providers and care coordination teams. 

One million dollars ($1,000,000) is appropriated from the General Fund to the Legislative Finance Committee for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 and subsequent fiscal years to implement Section 9 of the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act. 

Nine million dollars ($9,000,000) is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health for expenditure in Fiscal Years 2026 through 2028 to expand suicide prevention and youth behavioral health supports in schools through educational resources, outreach, awareness, multi-component digital platforms and behavioral health services. 

Six million dollars ($6,000,000) is appropriated from the General Fund to the Public Education Department for expenditure in Fiscal Years 2026 through 2028 to expand suicide prevention and youth behavioral health supports in schools through educational resources, outreach, awareness, multi-component digital platforms and behavioral health services. 

One million eight hundred thousand dollars ($1,800,000) is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Regents of the University of New Mexico for expenditure in Fiscal Years 2026 through 2028 to facilitate training through project ECHO for behavioral health care providers and behavioral health services to patients. 

Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) is appropriated from the General Fund to the Health Care Authority Fiscal Year 2025 to initiate the planning, coordination and behavioral health standards in accordance with the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act. 

Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) is appropriated from the Government Results and Opportunity Program Fund to the Health Care Authority for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026 for regional certified peer support workers, justice liaisons, regional behavioral health services division staff and administrative staff and to implement Section 9 of the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of Fiscal Year 2028 shall revert to the Government Results and Opportunity Program Fund.

Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) is appropriated from the Government Results and Opportunity Program Fund to the Health Care Authority for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2027 for regional certified peer support workers, justice liaisons, regional behavioral health services division staff and administrative staff and to implement Section 9 of the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of Fiscal Year 2028 shall revert to the Government Results and Opportunity Program Fund.

Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) is appropriated from the Government Results and Opportunity Program Fund to the Health Care Authority for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2028 for regional certified peer support workers, justice liaisons, regional Behavioral Health Services Division staff and administrative staff and to implement Section 9 of the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of Fiscal Year 2028 shall revert to the Government Results and Opportunity Program Fund.

Finally, an emergency is declared.