New Mexico Crisis Center Remains Empty, Its Future Uncertain

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — It's been more than three years since construction was completed on a mental health facility in southern New Mexico, but it's still not operational. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports (http://bit.ly/2dnPlif ) that the Dona Ana Board of Commissioners on Tuesday looked into ways to finance the county's vacant $2 million Crisis Triage Center. It was built to house adults with mental health issues as an alternative to the county detention center. Dona Ana County and the city of Las Cruces have discussed the possibility of using the center as a public mental health hospital, but they have not made any formal decisions. County Health and Human Services Director Jamie Michael says data from the New Mexico Behavior Health Institute shows that operating such a facility could cost millions each year.