Santa Fe County Youth Behavioral Health Center

What is this Project?

Santa Fe County has taken a major step toward expanding youth behavioral health services with the purchase of a 35,000-square-foot facility that will become a Regional Youth Behavioral Health Center. The center is designed to bring multiple providers together under one roof, improving coordination and making care more accessible for young people and families. Aligned with statewide priorities under the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act, the center will offer a range of services including mental health counseling, crisis response, psychiatric care, suicide prevention, and grief support. Additional supports such as primary care screening, tutoring, workforce readiness, and a youth drop-in space will further promote overall well-being and long-term success.

Rather than issuing a traditional Request for Proposals (RFP), the County will release a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to identify and partner with qualified, youth-focused service providers. This approach supports a more flexible, collaborative process aligned with community needs.

The Youth Behavioral Health Center is expected to open in phases beginning in 2026, with full operations anticipated in 2027, marking a significant investment in the health, safety, and future of Santa Fe County’s youth.

Supporting Youth Mental Health in Santa Fe County

  • 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  
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)