Senate Bill 3 (SB 3):  This act represents a comprehensive approach to improving behavioral health infrastructure and services, emphasizing systematic planning, regional coordination, and funding allocation to meet diverse community needs within New Mexico. 

 Senate Bill 3 (SB 3):  The "Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act", focuses on reforming and investing in behavioral health services across the state.  It sets out definitions for key terms, including "behavioral health region," "services," "stakeholders," and procedures like "continuity of care plan" and "sequential intercept resource mapping."

Regional Planning and Stakeholder Involvement: The administrative office of the courts is tasked with designating behavioral health regions, coordinating stakeholder meetings, and developing regional plans. These plans will identify local priorities, funding sources, and timelines for the expansion of behavioral health services.

Service Standards and Evaluation: By June 1, 2025, standards for behavioral health services and evaluation guidelines will be established to ensure quality and effectiveness. These standards will be regularly updated to reflect best practices.

Appropriations will be specifically used to fill identified funding gaps, support priority services, and can be allocated to emergency needs. Grants for behavioral health services will also be established, with a focus on indigent and uninsured populations.

By June 30, 2027, a universal credentialing process for behavioral health service providers will be implemented to simplify the administrative process and reduce burdens.

No Caps on Services: Managed care organizations will be prohibited from capping the number of new behavioral health patients a provider can serve, provided the provider has the capacity.  The act includes an emergency clause stating that it needs to take effect immediately for public peace, health, and safety reasons.
 

 Amended February 4, 2025 in SHPAC

SHPACa/SB 3:  Summary of the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act
This legislation aims to improve and expand behavioral health services statewide by establishing regional plans, standards, and funding mechanisms. It also introduces new processes to reduce administrative burdens and protect patient access.  The key provisions are as follows:
•	Short Title (Section 1):  The act is titled the "Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act."
Definitions (Section 2): Provides key definitions, including:
•	Behavioral health region: a defined geographic area (one or more counties or judicial districts).
•	Behavioral health services: treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, and identification of mental illness and substance misuse.
•	Behavioral health stakeholders: includes a range of public and private sector representatives (courts, service providers, tribal entities, local/state agencies, etc.).
•	Continuity of care plan: a plan to ensure consistent and coordinated behavioral health services over time.
•	Generally recognized standards for behavioral health: evidence-based standards of care and clinical practice.
Regional meeting: stakeholder meeting held at a government-owned facility in a behavioral health region.  Regional plan: 
•	Collaboratively developed plan to provide behavioral health services in each region.
•	Sequential intercept resource mapping: a tool to identify gaps in services and divert individuals away from the criminal justice system into treatment.
Regional Plan and Reporting (Section 3)
The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC):
•	Designates behavioral health regions.
•	Coordinates regional meetings and completes sequential intercept resource mapping.
Coordinates development of regional plans with interested stakeholders.
Regional plans must:
•	Include a four-phase plan to continue or expand behavioral health services.
•	Identify up to five state-funded priorities per phase and possible local resources.
•	Provide timelines, performance measures, and a continuity of care plan.
•	Consider language access needs.
•	Include a list of all behavioral health service providers in the region.
•	Outline strategies to obtain federal, local, or private resources where appropriate.
•	The AOC distributes regional plans to the legislature and relevant state agencies.
Annual reporting beginning no later than June 30, 2027 (and every June 30 thereafter) by a designated government entity in each region on:
•	Status of plan implementation.
•	Data on performance measures.
•	Public feedback.
•	Responses to data requests.
Behavioral Health Service Standards (Section 4)
•	By June 1, 2025, the Office of Superintendent of Insurance provides the AOC with an initial set of generally recognized standards for behavioral health services.
•	The Legislative Finance Committee also provides evaluation guidelines (methods for evaluating both evidence-based and promising practices).
•	The AOC, in consultation with relevant agencies, will confirm compliance of each regional plan with these standards and guidelines.
Behavioral Health Investments (Section 5) - Funding appropriated to implement this Act:
•	Must be used to address priorities and gaps identified in regional plans.
•	Must be equitably distributed and prioritize disproportionately impacted communities.
•	May fund multi-year grants (up to four years) requiring annual evaluation reports.
•	May cover non-acute care costs for indigent and uninsured persons.
•	May provide an advance disbursement of up to five percent for emergencies.
Universal Behavioral Health Credentialing (Section 6)

•	By June 30, 2027, the Health Care Authority must establish a universal credentialing and enrollment process for behavioral health service providers across all managed care organizations, reducing administrative burdens.
Prohibition on Patient Caps (Section 7)
•	Managed care organizations cannot set a limit on the number of new behavioral health patients a provider may treat if the provider has the capacity to serve them.
Emergency Clause (Section 8)
•	The act takes immediate effect upon passage, as it is necessary for public peace, health, and safety.
 

 SFCcs/SB3/a:  SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL 3
 has had it under consideration and reports same with
 recommendation that it DO PASS, amended as follows:
 1. On page 7, between lines 19 and 20, insert:
 "(8) identify a capable and accountable entity to
 execute regional plans; provided that different entities may be
 accountable for each identified regional funding priority;".
 2. Renumber the succeeding paragraphs accordingly.
 3. On page 8, line 23, strike "and".
 4. On page 9, line 2, strike the period and insert in lieu
 thereof "; and".
 5. On page 9, between lines 2 and 3, insert:
 "(6) recommendations on successes, gaps and needs to
 better provide behavioral health care services.".