The Denver-based company is working with four counties and two municipalities in the region to develop a $44.5 million regional mental and behavioral health treatment center in Clovis, a facility that government leaders believe can play a key role in reducing the prison population in the region.
The presentation that Initium Health made to Chaves County commissioners Thursday was a corollary to discussion during the same meeting about the challenges facing county detention centers in New Mexico.
“Unfortunately, as you know, New Mexico doesn’t have enough inpatient beds,” said James Corbett, Initium’s director of health. “These people unfortunately end up in detention centers across the state.” He said the company operates in several states and specializes in working with rural communities.
The statutory claims and costs related to charges of inadequate mental health treatment in county jails represent a whopping sum for all statutory claims paid during the 10-year period as of Jan. 11, said Ruben Martinez, multi-line claims manager for New Mexico counties. 1, 2011, to Oct. 31, 2022.
Of the $85 million in legal claims and costs paid during that time, $20.43 million was related to cases of inadequate mental health care. This was 24% of the total legal claims paid, but the number of claims at 51 was only 2.5% of the total 2,012 claims filed. “When you do the math, that’s an average cost of about $400,000 per claim for a mental health claim,” Martinez said.
Kate Bailey of Initium Health explained that people who need substance abuse treatment or mental health care in this area of the state have few inpatient options. They often end up in medical hospitals in big cities or out of state only to be quickly released without receiving proper treatment. This is why they are often arrested and imprisoned.
Four counties, DeBaca, Roosevelt, Cary and Quay, are working together with the cities of Portales and Clovis to plan and fund the Clovis Regional Inpatient Center. Part of the funding will come from national opioid settlement dollars that states, counties, and cities receive. The Eastern Plains Council of Governments also received a $2 million grant to develop the facility’s future workforce and introduce mental health programs in area schools. Other funding is expected to come from federal and state grants and appropriations, funds and private donations.
Bailey said mental health, overdoses and suicide attempts result in about 588 emergency calls in four counties and two cities each year. Mental health conditions also account for a lot of ambulance and paramedic calls, and sometimes staff and equipment are strapped on long trips to big cities, just to turn people away from treatment. Bailey added that Curry County reports that 65% of its residents have mental health conditions and 45% take psychiatric medications. The recidivism rate for inmates with psychological problems has been estimated at 70% within 90 days. The planned facility will have 72 inpatient beds for mental disorders and 24 beds for substance abuse treatment. It will cost about $20 million to operate in the first year but is expected to be profitable by year three and pay off its initial operating investment by year five.
