Contact:
Jessica Preston, Jessica.preston@cyfd.nm.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2025
Development grants will support innovation and workforce training
SANTA FE — New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) is strengthening the state’s children’s behavioral health services network with funding to support innovative programs, specialized workforce training, and seed money for startups.
Of the $20 million dollar appropriation to CYFD and the Healthcare Authority (HCA),$4 million is allocated for the Children’s Behavioral Health Expansion Project.
Through a formal Request for Applications (RFA) process, CYFD sought applicants committed to considering new, innovative, and engaging services that address the specific circumstances of their communities and the unique needs of their target population. Start-up organizations were encouraged to submit applications proposing services, support, and training that are new to a community or New Mexico more broadly. $3.7 million of the $4 million was awarded to four (4) providers out of 18 applicants.
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The Savila Collaborative DBA Centro Savila
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Gallup Community Health
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H2 Academic Solutions
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Kids Counseling, LCC
Details about each program, including counties served, purpose, target populations, startup services, and expected outcomes can be found in Appendix I.
“An array of new and innovative behavioral health services will provide children, youth, and families of New Mexico with the finest support at early intervention stages and during ongoing rehabilitative care,” said CYFD Secretary, Teresa Casados. “We aim to offer families diverse mental health support services that help them overcome trauma and other harm to their emotional wellbeing. We are making a direct investment in the future of family health and wellness by providing this financial support.”
The purpose of CYFD Behavioral Health Services’ RFA is to support the initial startup of evidence-based/best practice services and related workforce development efforts so that providers may then continue to implement and expand the programs through recurring funding streams, such as Medicaid.
This program is focused on establishing new services that will support specific geographic areas of the state long-term, rather than outcomes based on total number of clients serviced in the short-term.
CYFD Behavioral Health Services (BSH) continues to encourage and fund participation in a broad array of behavioral health workforce training at no cost to individual practitioners and providers through the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Center of Innovation (COI). This includes the training and certification for the following Medicaid services:
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Family Peer Support Services (FPSS)
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Youth Peer Support Services (YPSS)
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High-Fidelity Wraparound (HFW)
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Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) *in process
Additionally, through funding by CYFD BHS and the NM Health Care Authority (HCA), individual practitioners or providers may apply at the NMSU COI to obtain the training, supervision, and/or certification necessary to become an enrolled provider and obtain an enhanced rate for the following Medicaid services:
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Multisystemic Therapy (MST)
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Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
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Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
“Our partnership with CYFD demonstrates the state’s commitment to investing in workforce training and innovative service development,” said New Mexico Health Care Authority Secretary, Kari Armijo. “We’re ensuring that New Mexico families will have access to the care they deserve by building the capacity of our behavioral health network, helping them heal and thrive in their communities.”
Information regarding the NMSU COI is available at: https://centerofinnovationnm.org/.
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APPENDIX I
Selected Applicants Detail
Provider: The Savila Collaborative DBA Centro Savila
County: Bernalillo County, prioritizing of the International District and the South Valley
Purpose: To support the expansion and implementation of bilingual, culturally responsive, and evidenced-based/best-practice behavioral health services to children, youth, and their families.
Target Population:
- Children and youth ages 0-18 years and their families
- Specific focus on:
- Children aged zero (0) to five (5) years
- Youth transitioning to adulthood
- Children and youth at risk of disrupting the community
Startup Services:
- School-Based Clinical Services
- Family Peer Support Services (FPSS)
- Multisystemic Therapy (MST)
- Culturally and Linguistically Specific Individual, Family, and Group Therapy
- Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Intended Outcomes:
- Successful implementation of School-Based Clinical Services; Family Peer Support Services(FPSS); Multisystemic Therapy (MST); Culturally and Linguistically Specific Individual, Family and Group Therapy; Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT); and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Successful transition to Medicaid reimbursement for identified services
Provider: Gallup Community Health
County: McKinley County
Purpose: To support the expansion and implementation of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and evidence-based/best-practice behavioral health services to children, youth, and their families.
Target Population: Children and youth ages 0-18 years and their families
Startup Services:
- Play Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for Children and Adolescents
- Family models of therapy specific to the Native American community, specifically the “Honoring the Family, Mending the Circle” model
Intended Outcomes:
- Successful training and implementation of the following evidence-based behavioral health modalities: Play Therapy; Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT); Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for Children and Adolescents; and Family models of therapy specific to the Native American community, specifically the “Honoring the Family, Mending the Circle” model
- Successful transition to Medicaid reimbursement for identified services
Provider: H2 Academic Solutions
County: Valencia, Socorro, and Cibola Counties
Purpose: To support the implementation of High-Fidelity Wraparound Teams that provide intensive care coordination; linkage to community-based services; partnerships with children, youth and families; engagement of natural supports; strengths-based and youth-driven service planning; and a culturally and linguistically responsive approach to care.
Target Population:
Children and youth who meet the High-Fidelity Wraparound eligibility criteria to include:
- Children or youth who have a current or historical designation of severe emotional disturbance (SED); and
- Functional Impairment in two or more domains identified by the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) tool; and
- Have current or historical involvement with two or more systems such as special education, behavioral health, child welfare or juvenile justice, or at risk for such involvement in the case of children aged 0 to 5; and
- At-risk or in an out-of-home placement
Startup Services:
- High-Fidelity Wraparound Services (HFW)
- Family Peer Support Services (FPSS) and/or Youth Peer Support Services (YPSS)
Intended Outcomes:
- Successful implementation of High-Fidelity Wraparound Teams to provide intensive care coordination, linkage to community-based services, partnerships with children, youth and families, engagement of natural supports, strengths-based and youth-driven service planning, and a culturally and linguistically responsive approach to care
Provider: Kids Counseling, LCC
County: San Miguel and Mora Counties
Purpose: To support the implementation of High-Fidelity Wraparound Teams to provide intensive care coordination; linkage to community-based services; partnerships with children, youth and families; engagement of natural supports; strengths-based and youth-driven service planning; and a culturally and linguistically responsive approach to care.
Target Population:
Children and youth who meet the High-Fidelity Wraparound eligibility criteria to include:
- Children or youth who have a current or historical designation of severe emotional disturbance (SED); and
- Functional Impairment in two or more domains identified by the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) tool; and
- Have current or historical involvement with two or more systems such as special education, behavioral health, child welfare or juvenile justice, or at risk for such involvement in the case of children aged 0 to 5; and
- At-risk or in an out-of-home placement
Startup Services:
- High-Fidelity Wraparound Services (HFW)
- Family Peer Support Services (FPSS) and/or Youth Peer Support Services (YPSS)
Intended Outcomes:
- Successful implementation of HFW teams, including one certified Peer Support Services Worker. HFW Teams will include Certified HFW Facilitators and Endorsed Coaches
- Successful transition to Medicaid reimbursement for sustainability of services
CYFD BHS appreciates the efforts of all Applicants who submitted responses to the RFA. We will continue to support the start-up and/or expansion of children’s behavioral health services and support statewide as future funding becomes available.