Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, is in a rural region in northern New Mexico. The county faced a fatal overdose death rate of 81.4 per 100,000 residents in 2022, more than three times the state average. Following the increase in both fatal and nonfatal overdoses, Rio Arriba County began seeing an increase in the demand for substance use services. The county does not have the service providers to treat these individuals in a timely manner. The Rio Arriba County Detention Center does have a basic medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program that can medically manage opioid withdrawal, as well as continue individuals on buprenorphine medication (who have an existing prescription in the community). Rio Arriba County hopes to expand this treatment program to offer a more robust array of services.

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

• Identify funding for MAT and visits with medical providers with the intent to leverage the state’s 1115 waiver.
• Leverage telehealth services with tablets to meet the needs of individuals who have criminal justice system involvement.