Congresswoman Stansbury, Community Organizations Hold Roundtable on Urgent Behavioral Health and Community Needs in International District
Rep. Stansbury and 10 community-based organizations in the International District discussed key issues as Rep. Stansbury works on legislative framework
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) and 10 Albuquerque-based organizations convened to discuss support to address behavioral health, housing, public safety, and other community needs in the International District and statewide.
Rep. Stansbury is currently working on a legislative framework to bring a more holistic approach to addressing public safety, behavioral health, addiction recovery, and wraparound services in the community.
“Communities across New Mexico are facing an interconnected behavioral health, housing, and public safety crisis,” said Rep. Stansbury. “Statewide, only 12% of New Mexicans have access to behavioral health services, while rates of substance abuse and behavioral health needs have soared. We must address these interrelated issues in a holistic way and invest in our communities and their well-being. That is why we are developing a legislative framework to address these issues, in partnership with our community organizations, to lift up and grow the work already happening in our communities.”
During the roundtable, community organizations and service providers discussed the need for expanding behavioral health and health care services, housing, addiction recovery, adult education and language programs, and supporting local economic development. Community leaders described not only the growing need for these services in the International District, but the urgent need to bring a more coordinated and community-centered approach to service delivery. The organizations also identified further opportunities to improve community care, including the need for more physical infrastructure to provide services and housing, system navigation, greater language access and culturally based programs, and more robust funding.
The organizations at the roundtable included the Albuquerque Adult Learning Center, Endorphin Power Company, East Central Ministries, the Immigrant Refugee Resource Village of Albuquerque, Compassion Service Center, the New Mexico Asian Family Center, theInternational District Economic Development Center, First Nations Community HealthSource, and Wings for Life.