Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center (BHTAC)

The UNM Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center supports the implementation of the NM Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act (BHRIA) also known as Senate Bill 3 (SB3). SB3 was signed into law on February 27, 2025. This new law takes major steps to strengthen and rebuild New Mexico’s behavioral health system, including significant changes to how behavioral health and substance use treatment programs are managed statewide.

The BHRIA takes a regional approach to behavioral health care. Each region will identify up to five behavioral health priorities and request funding to implement a four-year plan. This new structure incorporates all three branches of government and brings stakeholders to the table to strengthen the state’s behavioral health care service system.

The UNM Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center (BHTAC) serves as a centralized, university-based resource to

• Assist regional entities to build the capacity and accountability needed to execute their behavioral health plans.
• Support alignment with state-adopted standards, evaluation protocols, and workforce development efforts.
• Provide technical expertise to prioritize disproportionately impacted communities and meet identified funding gaps.
• Enhance collaboration between higher education, service providers, and state agencies to develop and retain a behavioral health workforce.

This menu gives examples of some of the BHTAC’s services.

State Partners

New Mexico Health Care Authority

Administrative Office of the Courts

Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center ( BHTAC)

The University of New Mexico HSC has brought together the expertise, experience, and knowledge to create the BHTAC to provide seamless support and technical assistance for the planning and implementation of the BHRIA.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Community Behavioral Health is the lead coordinator for the Center. In Phase One our partners each have important roles related to delivering services to further implementation of the BHRIA.

• Center on Alcohol, Substance use, and Addictions: Will provide 10 trainings on evidence-based practices related to substance use disorders, such as such as Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment, Twelve Step Facilitation, Matrix Model to be developed and/or implemented in collaboration with HCA/ BHSD
• Office for Community Health: Will provide additional facilitators and notetakers for SIM mapping and prioritization workshops. Its HEROs will also assist in identifying and engaging community stakeholders throughout the SIM planning, execution, and completion of workshops. 
• Project ECHO: Will provide two ECHO-based learning collaboratives focused on 1. Planning support for the 13 regions creating behavioral health regional plans and 2. Peer Support for peer support workers who will be embedded in the judicial system in each region.
• UNM Center for Health Policy: Will provide 13 regional “snapshot” reports on behavioral health Medicaid and general fund service utilization.

The Full UNM Team

During Phase One of the BHTAC, priorities focus on Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) mapping and identifying priorities with every region as well as some workforce training. There are many talented people who are part of the BHTAC team including those from different departments and areas of the University of New Mexico.