Access to Housing – Promoting a Housing First Approach

During the 2008 legislative session, DPANM worked with various community groups to pass a Housing Memorial to research the barriers to housing faced by people with criminal convictions and individuals struggling with drug addiction. DPANM served as a member of the Taskforce and provided input for the Housing First Taskforce’s Final Report, which was released in October 2008.

Medical Cannabis Program

On April 2, 2007, Governor Bill Richardson signed SB523, the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, and finally made legal access to medical cannabis a reality for seriously ill and dying New Mexicans.
Patient ID cards for qualified patients are now available from the Department of Health. Please visit the Department of Health’s Medical Cannabis Program’s website to see if you qualify for the program and to download the application to register.

The next stage of implementation for the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act is developing a state-licensed production and distribution system for registered patients. The Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act is the first medical marijuana law in the country to call for a state-licensed production and distribution system to help patients access their medicine. The rules and regulations for the production and distribution system are available here.

For more information on who qualifies as a medical marijuana patient under the New Mexico law and how the program works please visit our Medical Marijuana page.

911 Good Samaritan

SB 200, the 911 Good Samaritan bill, also passed the legislature in 2007 and was signed by the Governor. This new law protects individuals from drug possession charges when they seek medical help to save the life of an overdose victim. This is the first law of its kind in the United States and will save countless numbers of lives in our state.

Women’s Treatment Pilot Project

The opiate replacement therapy in the women’s prison bill passed the legislature almost unanimously in 2007. Despite passing through the legislature, the bill was vetoed by the Governor. The bill called for the creation of a pilot treatment project in the NM women’s prison to help women with a history of narcotic addiction. The pilot project establishes a much needed, evidence-based treatment program for female inmates with heroin addictions in prison using the medication, buprenorphine. The project would start women on buprenorphine before their release, and then help transition the women into the community with a case manager and physician.

Bias-Based Policing Study Bill

In collaboration with the political action committee of the Santa Fe branch of the NAACP, DPANM helped to pass legislation in 2007 appropriating $50,000 to the NM Sentencing Commission to investigate and study possible incidents of bias-based policing, or racial profiling, in New Mexico (more about the bill here). This funding will also ensure the Sentencing Commission makes recommendations for the development and implementation of plans, policies, and strategies to eliminate bias-based policing in New Mexico. We again secured additional funding during the 2008 legislative session to ensure the study continues.

Medicaid Coverage of Substance Abuse Treatment

Two memorials unanimously passed the 2007 legislature that direct the state Medicaid program to apply to the federal government for approval to include substance abuse treatment as a covered service for Medicaid recipients. In July 2008, the NM Human Services Department issued the final regulations to make substance abuse treatment a covered service under Medicaid. With this regulatory change we are hopeful that over $10 million will be brought into New Mexico to increase substance abuse treatment.

Information specifically on DPANM’s 2007 legislative successes if available here.