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New Mexico Mental Health Services Guide

Many people don’t realize that publicly-funded mental health services are available in their state. People looking for free or low-cost counseling often think their only options are counselors in private practice and don’t know that publicly-funded providers in their communities may also offer counseling services.

While state-based programs are not for everyone, they’re often a great place to start for people who face geographic or financial barriers to therapy. Intake specialists at community mental health programs can help people learn whether they qualify for state-funded services and can refer people who don’t qualify to other low-cost programs that may be able to meet their needs.

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When Should You Go to a State Mental Health Program?

Few private mental health providers are able to immediately serve people in crisis, while most state mental health programs, including New Mexico’s, have crisis response systems that help people get mental health care quickly in an emergency. This usually makes public mental health services the best option if you’re having a mental health crisis and need help right away. The people who answer state crisis lines can provide caring attention and support as they help you determine the best response to a crisis, whether it’s inpatient treatment or an appointment with a counselor.

Publicly-funded providers in New Mexico offer a wide array of outpatient mental health services. In addition to affordable therapy, publicly-funded mental health programs provide specialized and intensive services that aren’t available anywhere else or that are hard to find in private clinics, like case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, and day treatment. Consider going to a publicly-funded provider if you need intensive treatment, live in an area with limited mental health resources, or can’t access mental health care in the private sector due to your diagnosis or financial situation.

Who Is Eligible for Public Mental Health Services in New Mexico?

New Mexico’s mental health department authorizes private programs to provide publicly-funded outpatient mental health services. Since these providers are privately operated, they have some leeway to set their own eligibility requirements. While state-funded programs generally prioritize clients with severe mental illness and limited incomes, most programs in the New Mexico public network serve clients outside of those groups as well, including people with milder mental health symptoms or conditions.

Ultimately, whether people with milder conditions can receive their services depends on each provider’s capacity and criteria. Financial aid policies vary as well. Most programs in the public network accept both public and private insurance and offer sliding scales or reduced fees to those who qualify. However, not all programs in the public network offer all of these payment options.

Since admission and financial aid criteria differ from program to program, the best way to find out if you’re eligible is to call the program you’re interested in and ask.

How Can You Find Out More About Local Programs in New Mexico?

You can find out whether you can get the services you need at a publicly-funded provider in New Mexico by calling the provider you’re interested in or calling the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line at 1-855-NMCRISIS (622-7474). While New Mexico does not have regional or county-based crisis and information lines, this central number will help connect you to local resources wherever you live in New Mexico.

If you’re not in crisis, but just want someone to talk to about mental health, you can call the New Mexico Peer-to-Peer Warmline at 1-855-466-7100. The Crisis and Access Line is available 24/7, while the Warmline is available from 3:30pm to 11:30pm. You can download the NMConnect App for quick links to both hotlines as well as easy mobile access to state and local provider listings.

We’ve listed numbers for providers in the New Mexico state mental health network below. These programs are listed as part of the public system in directories published by the Behavioral Health Providers Association of New Mexico and the New Mexico Network of Care. We have limited our listings to larger agencies or group practices that provide adult outpatient mental health services. Most of these providers accept both public and private insurance, offer reduced fees, or both.

However, we cannot guarantee that every provider in this list will accept your insurance or offer a sliding scale. We recommend calling the program you want to attend to confirm whether you’re eligible, what insurance plans they accept, and whether they offer any form of financial aid. If you want to review a larger list of providers, including individual counselors in private practice, you can find more listings on the New Mexico Network of Care.

Central/Metro New Mexico Clinics

Northern New Mexico Clinics

  • Adult Outpatient Providers in the New Mexico Public Mental Health Network:
    • Dr. G. Medicine (Gallup): (505) 977-0110
    • El Centro Family Health:
      • Rio Arriba Health Commons (Española): (505) 753-7395
      • Las Vegas Clinic (Las Vegas): (505) 425-6788
      • Taos Clinic (Taos): (575) 758-3601
      • Bond Street Clinic (Española): (505) 753-9503
      • Coyote Clinic (Coyote): (575) 638-5487
      • Truchas Clinic (Truchas): (505) 689-2461
      • Highlands University Clinic (Las Vegas): (505) 454-3218
      • La Loma Clinic (Anton Chico): (575) 427-5036
      • Roy Clinic (Roy): (575) 485-2583
      • San Miguel Clinic (Ribera): (575) 421-1113
      • Springer Clinic (Springer): (575) 483-0282
      • Wagon Mound Clinic (Wagon Mound): (575) 666-2288
      • Embudo Clinic (Embudo): (505) 579-4255
      • Peñasco Clinic (Peñasco): (575) 587-2205
    • La Clinica Del Pueblo De Rio Arriba Behavioral Health (Tierra Amarilla): (575) 588-9506
    • Mental Health Resources, Inc.:
      • Crisis Line: (800) 432-2159
      • Quay and Harding County Office (Tucumcari): (575) 461-3013
    • Open Skies Healthcare:
      • Administrative Office (Albuquerque): (505) 345-8471
      • Cibola County Office (Grants): (505) 285-3672
    • Presbyterian Medical Services Behavioral Health:
      • Counselor Clinic (Counselor): (575) 568-4328
      • Cuba Health Center (Cuba): (575) 289-3291
      • Cuba School-Based Health Center (Cuba): (575) 289-2082
      • Española Family Wellness Center (Española): (505) 747-0081
      • Farmington Community Health Center (Farmington): (505) 327-4796
      • Gallup Teen Health Center (Gallup): (505) 721-2681
      • Grants Family Counseling (Grants): (505) 876-1890
      • Ojo Encino Clinic (Ojo Encino): (505) 731-2268
      • Pecos Valley Medical Center (Pecos): (505) 757-6482 or (505) 757-6968
      • Pecos Valley Medical Center School-Based Health Center (Pecos): (505) 757-6482
      • Questa Health Center (Questa): (575) 586-0315
      • Torreon Health Clinic (Torreon): (505) 731-2284
      • Totah Behavioral Health Authority (Farmington): (505) 564-4804
      • Valley Community Health Center (Espanola): (505) 747-7400
      • Western New Mexico Medical Group (Thoreau): (505) 862-7417
      • Western New Mexico Medical Group Behavioral Health (Gallup): (505) 863-3828
    • San Juan Health Partners Behavioral Health (Farmington): (505) 609-6680
    • The Mountain Center Counseling Services (Española, Santa Fe, and Tesuque): (505) 983-6158
    • Valle del Sol of New Mexico:
      • Cibola County Center (Grants): (505) 287-7985
      • Colfax County Center (Raton): (575) 383-2065
      • Guadalupe County Center (Santa Rosa): (575) 472-0745
      • Rio Arriba County Center (Española): (505) 747-1991
      • Taos County Center (Taos): (575) 751-7037
      • Union County Center (Clayton): (575) 207-8900
    • Taos Behavioral Health (Taos): (575) 758-4297
  • Native American Mental and Behavioral Health Resources in Northern New Mexico:

Southern New Mexico Clinics

  • Adult Outpatient Providers in the New Mexico Public Mental Health Network:
    • A New Hope Therapy Center (Las Cruces): (575) 556-9585
    • Amador Health Center Behavioral Health (Las Cruces): (575) 527-5482
    • Border Area Mental Health Services:
      • Las Cruces Office: (575) 522-7260
      • Silver City Office: (575) 388-4497
      • Deming Office: (575) 546-4497
    • De Baca Family Practice Clinic Behavioral Health Services (Fort Sumner): (575) 355-2414
    • Eastern New Mexico Medical Center Sunrise Mental Health Program (Roswell): (575) 622-8170
    • Esperanza Guidance Services (Las Cruces): (575) 522-5144
    • Full Circle Recovery (Socorro): (505) 865-4140
    • Gila Regional Medical Center Behavioral Health Unit (Silver City): (575) 538-4045
    • Guidance Center of Lea County (Hobbs): (575) 393-3168
    • Hidalgo Medical Services Mental Health Services:
      • Animas Valley Clinic (Animas): (575) 548-2742
      • Bridges to Care (Silver City): (575) 597-0211
      • Cliff-Gila Community Health Center (Gila): (575) 535-4384
      • Cobre High School Clinic (Bayard): (575) 537-5069
      • Community Health Center (Silver City): (575) 388-1511
      • Ena Mitchell Senior Center (Lordsburg): (575) 542-9414
      • Gila Senior Center (Gila): (575) 535-2888
      • Lordsburg Clinic (Lordsburg): (575) 542-8384
        Lordsburg High School Clinic (Lordsburg): (575) 542-3389
      • Med Square Clinic (Silver City): (575) 388-1511
      • Mimbres Senior Center (Mimbres): (575) 536-3990
      • Mimbres Valley Clinic (Mimbres): (575) 536-3990
      • New Beginnings (Silver City): (575) 538-3205
      • Santa Clara Senior Center (Santa Clara): (575) 537-5254
      • Silver City Senior Center (Silver City): (575) 597-2650
      • Silver High School Clinic (Silver City): (575) 534-1015
      • Tranquil Skies Community Mental Health Center (Silver City): (575) 388-4412
      • Tu Casa (Silver City): (575) 597-2650
    • La Casa Behavioral Health Services (Roswell): (575) 755-2272
    • La Clinica De Familia Behavioral Health Services:
      • Centennial High School Clinic (Las Cruces): (575) 525-4811
      • Central Medical Integrated Clinic: (Las Cruces) (575) 528-6400
      • East Mesa Integrated Clinic (Las Cruces): (575) 373-9202
      • Las Cruces Behavioral Health (Las Cruces): (575) 647-2800
      • Las Cruces Integrated Women’s Health Clinic (Las Cruces): (575) 532-2044 or (575) 525-4805
      • Rio Grande Preparatory Institute Clinic (Las Cruces): (575) 525-4813
      • Anthony Integrated Clinic (Anthony): (575) 882-5706
      • Behavioral Health Anthony (Anthony): (575) 201-5136
      • Chaparral High School Integrated Clinic (Chaparral): (575) 525-4815
      • Chaparral Integrated Clinic (Chaparral): (575) 824-0820
      • Desert Pride Academy Clinic (Anthony): (575) 674-2852
      • Gadsden High School Clinic (Anthony): (575) 525-4817
      • San Miguel Integrated Clinic (San Miguel): (575) 233-3830
      • Santa Teresa High School Clinic (Santa Teresa): (575) 874-9338
      • Sunland Park Integrated Clinic (Sunland Park): (575) 589-0887
    • Mental Health Resources, Inc.:
      • Crisis Line: (800) 432-2159
      • Quay and Harding County Office (Tucumcari): (575) 461-3013
      • DeBaca County Office (Ft. Sumner): (575) 769-2345
      • Roosevelt County Office (Portales): (575) 359-1221
      • Curry County Office (Clovis): (575) 769-2345
    • New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute Community-Based Services:
      • Las Vegas Office: (505) 454-5100 or (505) 425-1048
      • Mora Office: (575) 387-2677
      • Pecos Office: (505) 757-6112
      • Santa Rosa Office: (575) 472-3068 or (505) 472-3768
    • New Mexico State University Counseling and Educational Psychology Clinic (Las Cruces): (575) 646-5365
    • Open Minds (Alamogordo): (575) 489-4616
    • Presbyterian Medical Services Behavioral Health:
      • Alamogordo Family Health Center Behavioral Health (Alamogordo): (575) 437-7404
      • Artesia Family Health Center (Artesia): (575) 746-9848
      • Carlsbad Family Health Center Behavioral Health (Carlsbad): (575) 885-4836
      • Carlsbad School-Based Health Center (Carlsbad): (575) 234-3319
      • Catron County Medical Center (Reserve): (575) 533-6456
      • Deming Behavioral Health Center (Deming): (575) 546-2174
      • Quemado Health Center (Quemado): (575) 773-4610
      • Ruidoso Behavioral Health Center (Ruidoso): (575) 630-0571
      • Socorro High School Teen Health Center (Socorro): (575) 838-3199
      • Socorro Mental Health (Socorro): (575) 835-2444
    • Sierra Vista Hospital Counseling Center (Truth or Consequences): (575) 743-1380 or (575) 894-2111
    • Southwest Family Guidance Center and Institute:
      • Las Cruces Office: (575) 524-6820
  • Native American Mental and Behavioral Health Resources in Southern New Mexico:

Federally Qualified Health Centers

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are another option for public mental health care in New Mexico. These federally-funded programs provide medical and mental health services to people in underserved communities. Their goal is to deliver high-quality coordinated care to people with complex needs and to link behavioral healthcare with primary medical care. Each FQHC accepts Medicaid and Medicare and offers sliding-scale fees to people without insurance. You can search for FQHCs using the online search tool on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

How Does New Mexico's Public Mental Health System Work?

In the 1960s, Americans started thinking differently about how to treat mental health conditions. New laws required state and local governments to establish community mental health programs as alternatives to institutionalization for people with serious mental illness. Like many states, New Mexico founded some of its first community mental health programs after President John F. Kennedy signed the Community Mental Health Centers Act in 1963. However, New Mexico did not establish a statewide mental health network until much later.

In the 1990s, New Mexico converted its mental health system into a regionally-based system administered by three managed care companies. It has restructured its system many times since. In 2004, it passed a law that consolidated its system under the management of a single behavioral health managed care company. Though New Mexico included local providers and consumers in the process, this change caused complications.

The most significant shakeup to the New Mexico mental health system happened in 2013. That year, citing “credible allegations of fraud,” the governor’s office froze Medicaid funding to 15 of the largest community-based mental health programs in New Mexico’s public network. Though the attorney general later cleared the programs of fraud, the damage was done, and most of New Mexico’s established non-profit providers had to close their doors and go out of business.

Since then, new laws have been established to protect the public mental health system. With these protections in place and with all lawsuits filed in response to the shutdown now settled, New Mexico is currently in the process of rebuilding its mental health network. The system is managed on the state level by the Behavioral Health Services Division and the Behavioral Health Collaborative, which are actively recruiting new providers. In the meantime, service gaps are being filled by smaller non-profits and integrated health clinics.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), only 44 percent of people in New Mexico who have mental health conditions get treatment for them. One reason for the care gap is that people aren’t aware of their options for affordable mental health care, including the public mental health system. You can help change these statistics by reaching out and using your local mental health resources to get the care you need.

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