Drug & Alcohol Addiction Rehab, Treatment & Recovery Resources in New Mexico

1. The Life Link

Located in Santa Fe, The Life Link offers substance abuse rehabilitation services to young adults and adults in regular and intensive outpatient settings and earned the highest overall score of 8.5 points out of 10 possible points because of its strong performance in several categories. It received the highest possible score in the category of Rehabilitation Services Provided primarily due to its medication-assisted treatment options utilizing a variety of medications, including buprenorphine and naltrexone. Its treatment approaches also received maximum points due to its wealth of modalities, such as trauma-related counseling, the Matrix Model approach, anger management, community reinforcement plus vouchers, and rational emotive behavioral therapy, among several more. Furthermore, the center’s variety of ancillary services, ranging from domestic violence services to employment counseling and training to HIV/AIDS education and support and more earned it an additional strong score in this category.

The center accepts Medicaid and other state-financed health insurance, Access to Recovery vouchers, TRICARE, government funding for substance abuse programs, and self-payment as payment options, in addition to offering a sliding fee scale based on income and other factors. Special programs for unique populations are limited to individuals who have experienced trauma and patients with co-occurring mental health disorders.

• Rehabilitation Services Provided: 10
• Treatment Approaches: 10
• Cost: 7
• Special Programs for Unique Demographics: 5
• Ancillary Services: 8.19

2. Presbyterian Medical Services Farmington Community Health Center

Presbyterian Medical Services Farmington Community Health Center earned the second spot in our rankings with an overall score of 8.3 points out of 10 points and offers outpatient substance abuse rehabilitation services to young adults and adults, including medication-assisted treatment utilizing acamprosate and naltrexone, in addition to accepting patients on opioid medication. The Farmington-based center earned its highest score in the category of Treatment Approaches — options such as cognitive behavioral therapy, 12-step facilitation, anger management, and motivational interviewing contributed to maximum points for this metric. Its ancillary services were another area of strength and include treatment for non-substance abuse addiction disorders, such as gambling and internet use, as well as health education services, employment counseling and training, housing assistance, tobacco cessation counseling, and many more.

The center offers a sliding fee scale based on income and other factors – in addition to other forms of payment assistance – and accepts Medicare, Medicaid and other state-financed health insurance, TRICARE, government funding for substance abuse programs, private health insurance, and self-payment as payment options. Special programs for unique populations range from veterans to victims of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of trauma; to individuals with co-occurring mental health disorders, among several others.

• Rehabilitation Services Provided: 7.5
• Treatment Approaches: 10
• Cost: 8
• Special Programs for Unique Demographics: 7.5
• Ancillary Services: 8.19

3. New Mexico Department of Health Turquoise Lodge Hospital

With an overall score of 7.6 out of 10 points, the New Mexico Department of Health Turquoise Lodge Hospital in Albuquerque received third place in our rankings. The center provides substance abuse rehabilitation services to adults in hospital inpatient, residential and intensive outpatient settings. The center’s weakest category was for its rehabilitation services; however, it does offer medication-assisted treatment and detoxification services and accepts clients on opioid medication. One of the center’s highest-scoring areas was its treatment approaches, as it implements the brief intervention approach, motivational interviewing and incentives, dialectical behavioral therapy, relapse prevention, the Matrix Model approach, and several more among its modalities.

A second category for which the center earned full points was its ancillary services, which include case management, transportation and housing assistance, domestic violence services, social skills development, and screening for mental health disorders, among many more options. It also had a near-perfect score for its wealth of special programs for unique populations — it offers programs designed for veterans and active-duty military personnel, transitional age young adults, pregnant/postpartum women, members of the LGBT community, and seniors, as well as several other groups. Payment options include Medicaid and other state-financed health insurance, TRICARE, federal funding for substance abuse programs, private health insurance, and self-payment, in addition to a sliding fee scale based on income and other factors.

• Rehabilitation Services Provided: 5
• Treatment Approaches: 10
• Cost: 6
• Special Programs for Unique Demographics: 9.5
• Ancillary Services: 10

Start by contacting your referral center

The New Mexico Crisis and Access Line (NMCAL) provides assistance and referrals to New Mexico residents with substance abuse and mental health issues. This resource is free of cost and available 24/7/365, including state and federal holidays. ProtoCall Services, Inc. – in collaboration with the New Mexico Behavioral Health Services Division – operates NMCAL in addition to a second hotline, the Peer to Peer Warmline, for New Mexico residents who wish to talk to trained specialists about topics related to substance use, behavioral health, and the recovery process.

The New Mexico Behavioral Health Collaborative has also created an online database of service providers to enable residents to perform their own search for substance use resources. Residents can type “substance use” into the search box along with their zip code to find nearby providers, or they can search by category and select the “Addiction, Treatment and Recovery” option to see all statewide providers of related services.

Low-income New Mexico residents who require assistance covering the cost of substance abuse treatment may qualify for Medicaid services. Visit the New Mexico Medicaid Portal for more information about the program and details on eligibility.

Use our database to find a treatment center near you

The tool below lists all of the treatment centers in the state of New Mexico recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Input your zip code and select the filter icon to find relevant treatment centers near you

New Mexico ranks among the bottom 10 states for veterans engaging in binge drinking

According to the CDC, New Mexico ranked among the bottom 10 states in 2017 for veterans who engaged in binge drinking, with a reported 11.9% of veterans in the state taking part in the dangerous behavior that is often linked to PTSD. This percentage is among the lowest for all 50 states; Hawaii reported the greatest percentage of veterans engaging in binge drinking at 21.5%, while Utah was at the bottom of the rankings at 9.1%.

Additional Resources for Parents and Teachers

New Mexico is home to more than 70 school-based health centers as a result of partnerships between the New Mexico Human Services Department Medical Assistance Division, the New Mexico Department of Health Office of School and Adolescent Health, and managed care organizations. These health centers improve access for school-age children and adolescents to primary, preventative, and behavioral health services, which include substance abuse treatment at certain locations. As a helpful resource, the New Mexico Alliance for School-Based Health Care has created an interactive map that marks the location of each center. Alternatively, a directory below this map allows individuals to search for schools with associated health centers in or near the city in which they are located.

These centers, along with other publically-funded providers of children, youth, and family services, may also be found using the PullTogether.org statewide resources map. This map allows users to select multiple service categories, such as adolescent intensive outpatient programs, child and adolescent psychiatry providers, day treatment programs, and school-based health centers, for which to receive additional information, including a detailed description of any given program and its Medicaid eligibility status.

Mental Health Resources & Treatment

If you or someone you love is suffering from mental health issues, such as depression, PTSD, eating disorders, or severe anxiety, there are many resources from which to receive help.

Below are a few ways to receive immediate assistance, as advised by MentalHealth.gov:

Emergency Services: If your life (or someone else’s life) is in danger, always start by dialing 911 to gain immediate access to emergency services.

Suicide Prevention: The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is: 800-273-8255. You can also initiate a private live online chat.

Veterans Crisis Line: Dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 and press “1” to talk to someone immediately. You can also access help with a private online chat or text 838255.

Here are two ways to find a provider of mental health treatment in New Mexico:

New Mexico National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): The New Mexico branch of NAMI provides information on mental health resources across the state and offers a specific section about its Homefront program intended for the family, friends, and partners of veterans and military service members coping with trauma, stress, PTSD, and other mental health conditions.

New Mexico Behavioral Health Collaborative: This website offers a database of behavioral health providers, including mental health agencies, programs, and facilities.

Individuals who have both substance use and mental health disorders may benefit from dual-diagnosis rehab facilities. Use the appropriate filter in our tool above to find rehabilitation centers with treatment programs designed to meet the unique challenge posed by co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.

Contact the appropriate local organization to find an AA or NA meeting near you

The tool below lists the contact information for local organizations that will connect you to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings near you. Since meeting times and locations change periodically, contact the local groups that coordinate the meetings to ensure that the information is up to date.

Over 275,000 New Mexicans suffer from mental illness every year

As discussed earlier in this guide, there is a strong link between substance use disorders and mental health disorders. When an individual is afflicted with both of these issues at the same time, health professionals refer to it as co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders or a “dual diagnosis.” Consequently, the prevalence of mental health issues in a given state can also help us to understand the level of substance abuse.

Suicide rates in New Mexico far exceed the national average

The Centers for Disease Control reports that suicide is the leading cause of death in the United States. The suicide rate has risen in nearly every state from 1999 to 2016, with that rate increasing by more than 30% in half of all 50 states since 1999. Suicide is an act that is often linked to substance abuse. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, substance abuse is a primary risk factor for both adults and adolescents who attempt and/or complete suicide, and this is particularly true for at-risk populations.

Furthermore, the relationship between substance abuse and suicide is multi-faceted and complex. Persons who have substance abuse issues typically also carry other risk factors for suicide, including depression, impulsive behavior, and other struggles with relationships, finances, illness, or unemployment that make them more likely to engage in self-harm. Between 1999 and 2016, New Mexico witnessed an 18.3% increase in the number of suicides. In 2017, New Mexico ranked 4th in the country for the number of suicides per 100,000 residents.

New Mexico has a lower opioid prescribing rate than the overall U.S. rate

Prescription drug abuse – particularly in the form of opioids – has become an epidemic in the United States. While it is difficult to estimate how many individuals use these drugs as prescribed and how many abuse them, the Centers for Disease Control has researched the variation in opioid prescriptions between states, establishing a direct connection between an increased level of opioid prescriptions with a greater potential for dependence and abuse. Across the United States in 2017, 191 million prescriptions for opioids were written by physicians, ultimately leading one in four patients who begins long-term opioid therapy to an addiction.

The rate of homelessness in New Mexico is significantly below the national average

A high rate of homelessness in an area indicates a greater potential for substance abuse issues. Homelessness has been shown to be linked to substance abuse as both a cause and a result; some individuals become homeless due to a substance use disorder, while other individuals who are already homeless frequently turn to substance use to dull the pain and desperation of their situation.

The 2018 Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Point-in-Time Count reported approximately 552,830 homeless individuals in the United States, the equivalent of 17 of every 10,000 U.S. residents. This number represents a decrease of 4.1% since 2014 when the number of homeless persons in the U.S. was around 576,450. Furthermore, homelessness across the United States has decreased by 15% since 2007, the year that HUD began collecting data on the homeless population.

Drug- and alcohol-induced deaths are slightly higher in Albuquerque than the rate across New Mexico