Thursday, October 29, 2009

Valencia High School Cafeteria

310 Bonito Lane, Los Lunas NM

Directions:  On Main Street turn right at the Dion's, go over the hill, pass school to Manzano Exp Way.
Go two stop signs and turn right over hill and around curve. The high school is on the left.

(505) 565-8755

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Snacks provided.

This open forum is intended as a framework for discussion to inform and most importantly to continue a dialogue with the Los Lunas community regarding substance abuse prevention and treatment services to be provided through the Los Lunas Intensive Substance Abuse Treatment facility, as well as an understanding of its role in the community and the community's partnership to help reduce the impact of substance abuse in Los Lunas.  Meet and talk with: 

Pamela S. Hyde, J.D..  Pamela Hyde, was appointed cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Human Services Department in 2003 by Gov. Bill Richardson. A lawyer by training, Ms. Hyde has more than 30 years experience in management and consulting for public healthcare and human services agencies. She has served as a state mental health director, state human services director, city housing and human services director, as well as CEO of Comcare, a private non-profit managed behavioral healthcare firm.   As Secretary of New Mexico’s Human Services Department, Ms. Hyde is committed to improving access, quality and accountability of health and human services programs for the residents of New Mexico. On October 6, 2009, Ms. Hyde was nominated by President Obama to be administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Senator Michael Sanchez ( (D-Valencia) has served in the Senate since 1993 and is the Majority Floor Leader.  The senator was instrumental in obtaining funding for the Los Lunas Substance Abuse Treatment and Training Center through legislation he sponsored during the 2007 legislative session.

Robert Sullivan,  Mr. Sullivan is an administrator of the New Mexico Region's High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.  HIDTA enhances and coordinates drug control efforts among local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies. The program provides agencies with coordination, equipment, technology, and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States

Louis R. Thorp, LISW.  Mr. Thorp has been in the field of Social Work for 40 years.  He is the Chief Project Officer for Partners in Wellness and for Carlsbad Mental Health Center, where he has been for 13 years. Partners in Wellness, LLC, a cooperative effort between the state's human services department, Presbyterian Medical Services and Carlsbad Mental Health Center, is managing the Los Lunas Substance Abuse Treatment and Training Center. Prior to coming to CMHC, he was Director of Social Services at Wm. Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso and spent 20 years as a Program Director for the Texas Department of Human Services.  He has extensive experience in building programs such as the Los Lunas Substance Abuse Treatment project. .

There is no cost to attend. 

Registration is requested.  You may register:

1) Online by clicking the button above

2) By calling (505) 266-3451.

3) By emailing LosLunas@KessJones.com

Sponsored by Partners in Wellness, LLC

Partners in Wellness is a cooperative effort between the Human Services Department of the State of New Mexico, Presbyterian Medical Services and Carlsbad Mental Health Center with the Consortium for Behavioral Health Training and Research (CBHTR)

The New Mexico Human Services Department, in partnership with Partners in Wellness, has opened a substance abuse treatment center in Los Lunas to address the methamphetamine problem and other addictions in Los Lunas.  Addiction services have already begun with an Intensive Outpatient Treatment program for the chemically addicted.  Currently, Partners in Wellness is operating at 445 Camino Del Rey, Suite B, which also houses the Income Support Division of HSD.  Construction on a facility is scheduled to break ground in November 2009 on the first phase.  The second phase of the program will be a Women’s Residential Treatment Facility, in which women with substance addictions may bring their children in residence with them while they receive treatment.