In November 2023, Otero County responded to a national solicitation issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for jurisdictions interested in participating in Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) Mapping. The County submitted an application for a modified SIM Workshop focused on planning efforts to address substance use. In December, Otero County was notified that it had been awarded the grant to fund the SIM Mapping Workshop.
The SIM Mapping Workshop convened a diverse group of stakeholders from the criminal justice system, behavioral health services, and the broader community. The goal was to identify existing resources and service gaps for adults with substance use disorders—often with co-occurring mental health conditions—who are involved in, or at risk of involvement in, the criminal justice system. The workshop also fostered opportunities for increased cross-system collaboration and partnership development.
Key outcomes included the creation of a local systems map outlining how individuals enter and move through the criminal justice system, a set of locally defined priorities and recommendations for change, and strategic action plans. These efforts aim to divert individuals in the target population from the criminal justice system and connect them with appropriate community-based treatment and support services