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Santa Fe, NM - Santa Fe County today announced ways for the public and behavioral health stakeholders to stay informed about, and participate in the development of, a Regional Behavioral Health Plan for Behavioral Health Region One (BHR1), comprised of Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, and Santa Fe counties.  The public and behavioral health stakeholders can: 

Access this webpage for up-to-date information concerning this evolving State-led process;  

Plan to participate in one or more Listening Sessions at noon on January 12, 14, and 15, 2026; and  

Virtually attend monthly meetings of the BHR1 Planning Committee at noon on the first Tuesday of the month from January to June, 2026. 

During the 2025 Regular Legislative Session, the State of New Mexico enacted the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act (BHRIA). Since the BHRIA’s effective date, the State’s Administrative Office of the Courts and the State’s Health Care Authority have been working to develop a regional approach to statewide behavioral health reform under the oversight of a statewide Behavioral Health Executive Committee, which, among other things, has designated behavioral health regions according to judicial districts. The State’s Executive Committee has also adopted a specific approach to regional planning to commence in the fall of FY26, as outlined in this State letter addressed to County Managers and Tribal Leaders. 

Regional Behavioral Health Plans must be approved at the local and state level no later than June 30, 2026. 

On November 9, 2025, Santa Fe County was designated as the initial Accountable Entity for BHR1 to coordinate the development of BHR1’s Regional Behavioral Health Plan.  This press release and the BHRIA webpage are part of its efforts to ensure robust public and stakeholder engagement in the regional planning process.   

BHR1 includes the following 14 unique, separate, and distinct governments: 

1. Jicarilla Apache Nation
2. Ohkay Owingeh
3. Pueblo of Santa Clara
4. Pueblo of Nambe
5. Pueblo of Pojoaque
6. Pueblo de San Ildefonso
7. Pueblo of Tesuque
8. County of Los Alamos
9. County of Rio Arriba
10. County of Santa Fe
11. City of Española
12. City of Santa Fe
13. Town of Edgewood
14. Village of Chama 

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