The killing two years ago spurred voters to increase taxes and spend additional millions every year on behavioral health in Bernalillo County. Now, there's a new roadmap for those funds.
Mental health treatment in Bernalillo County often happens in jail, because there鈥檚 a shortage of services elsewhere. An spent much of the last year gathering input about what needs to happen to fill the gaps. And the list is a long one, according to County Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins.
"Seventeen million sounds like a lot, but when you look at the immensity of the need, we really have to figure out what are our priorities and how do we engage in collaborative efforts with other funders," she said.
Hart Stebbins said a crisis response team and other mental health crisis services are among the top priorities. She鈥檚 also got her sights on more housing, and intensive case management.
Bernalillo County paid almost a quarter million dollars for the report. It鈥檚 now available to the public for feedback. County Commissioners will soon decide how to spend the money.
