Policy Goals to Improve Behavioral Health Needs of Individuals, Employers and Communities in Rural New Mexico
With funding from the New Mexico Department of Health, the Center for Health Innovation engaged five rural Southern New Mexico counties in research, analysis and discussion about their healthcare workforce development needs now and in the future. The five counties included Grant, Sierra, Socorro, Catron and Valencia. Project participants included representatives from NM Department of Health-Health Promotion, health councils, hospitals, Community Health Centers, schools, universities, community organizations, Council of Governments, county government, elected officials, and others.
The six month project spanned the period from January to June 2020. The project design included: (1) secondary data analysis; (2) surveys for primary data and analysis; and (3) group discussions for identifying provider and community needs; analyzing current and projected workforce challenges; and discussing and framing system alignment and policy issues that impact needs, services, and capacity to recruit and retain the healthcare workforce.
