This bill amends the structure and operational framework of the Interagency Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative in New Mexico. Key changes include the removal of certain agencies from the collaborative's composition, specifically the aging and long-term services department, and the addition of the early childhood education and care department, as well as representatives from the New Mexico behavioral health providers association and the administrative office of the courts. The collaborative will now be chaired by the secretary of health care authority and is administratively attached to the office of the governor. Additionally, the bill establishes a new Director of the Collaborative Nominating Committee, which will be responsible for selecting the director of the collaborative from a list of qualified nominees.

The bill also introduces new requirements for the collaborative, such as meeting publicly at least quarterly and considering public input at each meeting. It mandates the development of a comprehensive plan for statewide behavioral health service delivery, which must be revised every two years. The collaborative is tasked with submitting a consolidated behavioral health budget request and providing quarterly and annual reports on its performance and service adequacy. The bill repeals a previous section of law and sets an effective date of July 1, 2025, for its provisions.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 24A-3-1, 24A-3-2