Otero County Commissioners Approve Regional Behavioral Health Plan

Alamogordo, NM — In a special meeting Monday, the Otero County Commission unanimously approved the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act for Region 12, formalizing an equal partnership between Otero County, Lincoln County, and the Mescalero Apache tribe in managing regional behavioral health services.

Joint Regional Effort

The commission met previously with representatives from Lincoln County and the Mescalero tribe to develop the region’s behavioral health plan. Following those discussions, commissioners identified necessary clarifications to strengthen the partnership agreement.

“We made a couple of changes on pages 5 and 9 of our documentation,” said one commissioner during the meeting, noting that the modifications preserved the substance of the original language while improving clarity.

Equal Partnership Framework

Under the approved plan, Lincoln County serves as the accountable entity for Region 12 behavioral health operations. However, the agreement establishes that Otero County, Lincoln County, and the Mescalero Apache tribe operate as equal partners in the regional behavioral health region investment act (BHRIA) plan.

A critical component of the agreement requires that all funding decisions regarding expenditure of regional resources must receive approval from three governing bodies: the Otero County Commission, the Lincoln County Commission, and the Mescalero Apache tribe council.

“All three entities are equal partners, and all funding decisions need to be agreed upon by all three entities in a timely manner,” commissioners stated in the motion approving the plan.

Unanimous Support

Commissioners all voted in favor of the regional behavioral health plan. Lincoln County commissioners had previously approved the identical changes, the commission confirmed.

The special meeting lasted only long enough to address this single agenda item before adjourning.

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