The need for a behavioral health provider organization in New Mexico was born in 1997 when for profit health insurance companies joined the matrix of behavioral health stakeholders and decision makers as “managed care organizations”. In the ensuing 20 years and in an effort to improve access to care, New Mexico’s behavioral health system has undergone multiple visionary changes, to operate cost effectively and efficiently, and maximize limited resources. In spite of significant efforts, the current service delivery system is still lacking the cohesiveness imagined in 1997.
Promoting the belief that providers are the foundation of the behavioral health system while they are vulnerable to political changes, two statewide behavioral health provider alliances recognized the necessity of becoming a single umbrella organization supporting all New Mexico providers of the field. In March 2014, the Youth Provider Alliance and the Adult Provider Association merged and established the Behavioral Health Providers’ Association of New Mexico (NMBHPA) as a single non-profit association.
The NMBHPA leadership has perhaps the best institutional knowledge of NM’s behavioral health system and an in-depth understanding about what does what doesn’t work in delivering quality and accessible services in our unique state. The Association is committed to representing providers and informing policy makers about ongoing system development.
Maggie McCowen, LISW, MBA
Executive Director
Krisztina Ford
Board President