Santa Fe County has acquired a building at 2935 Rodeo Park Drive East to establish a regional Youth Behavioral Health Center. The facility, measuring about 35,000 square feet, will allow multiple providers and services to operate in one location. The aim is to encourage coordination among providers and improve access to care for youth.
This move follows action items identified during a December 2025 review of behavioral health priorities under the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act. The legislation requires collaboration among local organizations, healthcare agencies, and government officials to expand behavioral health services in New Mexico. The new center is expected to increase core services, offer private spaces for youth seeking help, provide immediate walk-in support, and more.
Santa Fe County plans to issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) soon to bring youth-focused providers into the new space. Planned offerings include individual and group therapy, grief support, crisis response, psychiatric care, suicide prevention, as well as other supports identified by youth and families. Additional services such as primary care screening, tutoring programs, workforce readiness initiatives, and a drop-in area for young people are also envisioned.
Information on the RFP process will be available on the County’s official website in the coming weeks.
Senator Linda M. Trujillo of District 24 has requested nearly $2.07 million in funding approval for improvements to the building. If authorized, these funds would cover roofing replacement, energy-efficient insulation upgrades, other structural improvements, and adaptations tailored for tenants’ needs.
Recent statistics highlight mental health challenges facing New Mexico’s youth: 30% of high school students report persistent sadness or hopelessness; around one-fifth of middle school students experience frequent mental distress; nearly one-quarter of middle schoolers have seriously considered suicide.
Chanelle Delgado manages Santa Fe County Youth and Family Services Division and has been involved with youth programming since 2014. Her work includes starting what became the Uplift Youth program and earning her Master of Social Work after interning at La Sala Center—a hub integrating adult crisis services.
“Working with La Sala and the adult population, I saw how the absence of preventative supports during youth can lead to challenges later in life. That experience inspired ideas for how we, as a County, can create stronger systems to help young people thrive,” Delgado reflected.
Delgado emphasized that intensive data collection was needed when designing the center so that available services matched evidence-based best practices.
In 2024 Santa Fe County conducted an analysis to identify gaps in youth behavioral health services while engaging stakeholders about emergency room trends. Nationally between 2011-2021 emergency visits by young people doubled; suicide-related visits increased fivefold over that period—signaling intervention often comes too late.
More than half (52%) of county residents needing basic counseling face barriers like long waitlists or limited provider availability.
Growing awareness across New Mexico about rising rates of homelessness and unmet behavioral health needs contributed momentum toward addressing these issues regionally—and hope for improved outcomes over time.
“I’m blown away and deeply proud of how quickly Santa Fe County has mobilized to advance the regional Youth Behavioral Health Center, and how this work is now reinforced by statewide initiatives. It sends a powerful message to our young people: your mental health and well-being matter,” Delgado said.
A phased opening is planned: a soft launch could occur in 2026 with full operations expected by 2027.
Santa Fe County operates under policy direction from its Board of Commissioners with administrative oversight provided by a County Manager according to its official website. The county provides public safety measures along with health care access—including behavioral health—and community development across incorporated municipalities as well as unincorporated areas (source). Community engagement is promoted through public meetings and advisory boards while transparent governance remains central (source).
