Youth Behavioral Health Center

REQUEST: $1,400,000

Community Services
ICIP#43196 - LCS ID#1414

What is this Project?

While located in Santa Fe County, the Youth Behavioral Health Center is envisioned as a regional facility.  The initiative was designed to address the significant behavioral health crisis affecting youth, as evidenced by the following statistics: 

  • 30% of HS students felt persistent sadness or hopelessness 
  • 20.2% of MS & 18.8% of HS students reported frequent mental distress 
  • 22.5% of MS & 9.3% of HS students have ever seriously considered suicide 
  • 16.2% of MS students have ever made a suicide plan 12% of MS & 9% of HS students have attempted suicide 
  • Female and LGBTQ+ populations are the most seriously at-risk populations 

The Center is proposed to be located at 2935 Rodeo Park Dr. E, Santa Fe, NM.  The County is currently under contract to acquire the facility anticipated in the New Year. 

The services to be provided at the Center will ultimately be decided after the regional planning effort required by SB 3 is completed followed by a competitive solicitation process.  Prior planning and youth-focused outreach identified the following potential priority needs.

Identified Need or Service Gap
Proposed Service
Data Supporting the Need
Youth-Specific Crisis Response
Contracted Mobile Response and Crisis Services
Youth emergency visits for mental health doubled from 2011–2021; suicide-related visits increased fivefold (Bommersbach et al., 2023)
Therapeutic Services
On-site individual, family, and group therapy
52% of Santa Fe County residents report difficulty accessing mental health services—mainly due to waitlists and lack of providers (Anna Age 8, 2022); 20% of U.S. adolescents have unmet mental health needs (CDC, 2022)
Suicide Prevention and Treatment
Crisis intervention, suicide risk assessment, and safety planning
Between 2017–2021, suicide was the leading cause of death among NM youth ages 11–17; 1 in 3 youth deaths was due to suicide (NM Dept. of Health, 2023)
Grief and Loss Support
Support groups and individual counseling for bereaved youth & families
1 in 7 NM children will lose a parent or sibling by age 18; NM ranks #3 nationally for childhood bereavement (Judi’s House, 2024)
Intensive Case Management
Dedicated youth case managers to coordinate care and services
From September 2024 to June 2025, the SFC Youth Behavioral Health Case Management Program supported 67 youth and families with tailored, coordinated services—resources these youth previously lacked before the collaboration with Christus.
Psychiatric Care
On-site or telehealth psychiatric support
NM ranks 45th in youth mental health access; ~3,000 youth lack adequate behavioral health coverage despite having insurance (Mental Health America, 2024)

What will 2026 Capital Outlay Request do? 

Leveraging $7,050,000 in County funds, the requested funding will fully fund anticipated tenant improvements necessary to house selected providers.