Otero County, New Mexico, is a rural community in the southwestern region of the state. The lack of resources and funding for human services in this rural community are reflected in the high rate of homelessness as well as the number of untreated mental health and opioid use disorders. The closest methadone clinic is 60 miles from Otero County, and there are only three local providers authorized to prescribe Suboxone. Further, there are no long-term recovery housing options and insufficient behavioral health clinics in Otero County, often leaving individuals tied up in a cycle of relapse and reincarceration.

Otero County’s proposed goals for the Building Bridges Planning Initiative are as follows:

• Build relationships with community providers of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to connect individuals who have criminal justice system involvement with services upon release.
• Enhance educational materials for judicial staff, medical providers, and community agencies about MAT.
• Host a community meeting to discuss MAT.