New program guides people charged with misdemeanors to mental health treatment

NO OFFICERS WERE HURT. A NEW, NEW PROGRAM AIMS TO GUIDE PEOPLE CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANORS TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. REPORTER ALYSSA MUNOZ IS HERE WITH HOW IT’S BEING IMPLEMENTED IN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY. ALYSSA. YES. WELL, THE DISTRICT JUDGE I SPOKE TO HOPES THIS WILL STOP THE CYCLE OF CATCH AND RELEASE. AND THAT OFTEN HAPPENS IN DISMISSING MISDEMEANOR CASES. AND IT SAYS IT HELPS TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY’RE AT. THE COMPETENCY DIVERSION PROGRAM IS A MODEL PLANNING TO BE TESTED IN FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTIES TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH WHILE TRYING TO LOWER MISDEMEANOR CRIME. EARLIER THIS YEAR, LAS CRUCES STARTED ONE, AND JUST THIS MONTH, SAN MIGUEL COUNTY AS WELL. SO THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO STORES. THEY’RE SHOPLIFTING. THEY’RE TRESPASSING, PUBLIC AFFRAYS, YOU KNOW, NONVIOLENT OFFENSES. MICHAEL ARAGON IS A FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGE. HE SAYS IF SOMEONE IS CHARGED WITH A MISDEMEANOR. NORMALLY, IF THEY’RE RULED INCOMPETENT, THEIR CHARGES WOULD BE DROPPED. NOW, THIS GIVES PEOPLE AN OPTION TO GET TREATMENT VOLUNTARILY INSTEAD OF HAVING THE CHARGES DISMISSED OUTRIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO CONNECT THEM WITH A FORENSIC NAVIGATOR THAT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THEM INFORMATION ON HOUSING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, SSI BENEFITS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY’RE GOING TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS. THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED FOR 12 PARTICIPANTS UNTIL NEXT JUNE, WHICH INCLUDES TWO FULL TIME FORENSIC PEER NAVIGATORS, SIMILAR TO A CASEWORKER. NOW, EACH WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SIX PARTICIPANTS. WE’RE REALLY CHANGING HOW WE TREAT INDIVIDUALS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. THE COMPETENCY AND MENTAL HEALTH STATUTES HAVE NOT BEEN REVISED IN OVER 40 YEARS SO FAR. ARAGON SAYS THEY HAVE 11 PARTICIPANTS. THE LONG TERM GOAL IS CAN WE EXPAND THIS ONCE THE PROGRAM BECOMES SUCCESSFUL TO INCORPORATE FELONY OFFENSES OF NONVIOLENT NATURE? YOUR POSSESSION CASES CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS THAT SUFFER FROM A SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER BUT ARE SELF-MEDICATING WITH ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES. WELL, DURING LAST MONTH’S SPECIAL SESSION, THE GOVERNOR DID SIGN A BILL WHICH INCLUDED $3 MILLION TOWARDS OUTPATIENT TREATMENT AND DIVERSION PILOT

“We’re really changing how we treat individuals with serious mental health disorders. The competency and mental health statutes have not been revised in over 40 years,” said Michael Aragon, 4th Judicial District judge.

A new program aims to guide people charged with misdemeanors to mental health treatment. The Competency Diversion Program is a pilot program that will be tested in four counties to address mental health while trying to lower misdemeanor crime. “These are individuals that are going into stores, they’re shoplifting, they’re trespassing, you know, nonviolent offenses,” said Michael Aragon, the 4th Judicial District judge. Early this year, Dona Ana County implemented a similar program. San Miguel County started this pilot on Aug. 16. Aragon said that, normally, if someone is charged with a misdemeanor and is ruled incompetent and not dangerous, their charges would be dropped. This gives people an option to get treatment voluntarily. “Instead of having the charges dismissed outright, we are going to connect them with a forensic navigator that will be responsible for providing them information on housing, financial assistance, SSI benefits, making sure that they’re going to their appointments,” Aragon said. The program is funded to support 12 participants and two full-time forensic peer navigators until June 2025. Each navigator will be responsible for six participants for six to 12 months. Once the participant has gone through the program for six to 12 months, their charges are dismissed.”We’re really changing how we treat individuals with serious mental health disorders. The competency and mental health statutes have not been revised in over 40 years,” Aragon said. “They’re found incompetent, charges are dismissed, and they’re placed back in the same environment that they came from. This is really an opportunity to provide them services, making sure that they have stable housing, you know, connect them with services within the community, making sure that they have financial assistance.”Aragon said that, so far, they have 11 participants. “The long-term goal is to expand this once the program becomes successful to incorporate felony offenses of nonviolent nature. Your possession cases, co-occurring disorders, you know, individuals that suffered from a serious mental health disorder but are self-medicating with illegal substances.” During the special session in July, the governor signed a bill that included $3 million toward outpatient treatment and diversion pilot programs.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, N.M. —

“These are individuals that are going into stores, they’re shoplifting, they’re trespassing, you know, nonviolent offenses,” said Michael Aragon, the 4th Judicial District judge.

Early this year, Dona Ana County implemented a similar program. San Miguel County started this pilot on Aug. 16.

Aragon said that, normally, if someone is charged with a misdemeanor and is ruled incompetent and not dangerous, their charges would be dropped. This gives people an option to get treatment voluntarily.

“Instead of having the charges dismissed outright, we are going to connect them with a forensic navigator that will be responsible for providing them information on housing, financial assistance, SSI benefits, making sure that they’re going to their appointments,” Aragon said.

The program is funded to support 12 participants and two full-time forensic peer navigators until June 2025. Each navigator will be responsible for six participants for six to 12 months. Once the participant has gone through the program for six to 12 months, their charges are dismissed.

“We’re really changing how we treat individuals with serious mental health disorders. The competency and mental health statutes have not been revised in over 40 years,” Aragon said. “They’re found incompetent, charges are dismissed, and they’re placed back in the same environment that they came from. This is really an opportunity to provide them services, making sure that they have stable housing, you know, connect them with services within the community, making sure that they have financial assistance.”

Aragon said that, so far, they have 11 participants.

“The long-term goal is to expand this once the program becomes successful to incorporate felony offenses of nonviolent nature. Your possession cases, co-occurring disorders, you know, individuals that suffered from a serious mental health disorder but are self-medicating with illegal substances.”

During the special session in July, the governor signed a bill that included $3 million toward outpatient treatment and diversion pilot programs.

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