NM Bridge Program highlighted for innovative strategies in opioid use disorder treatment & overdose prevention efforts 

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) today announced the state’ NM Bridge opioid treatment program was highlighted in a national publication by The National Governors Association (NGA) published August 15, 2023. 

NM Bridge makes medication treatment available to people experiencing Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in a hospital setting. The program identifies OUD patients who may present at a hospital’s emergency room or other hospital in-patient units. Focusing on starting OUD medication treatment in hospitals or emergency departments, the program then, connects the patient to ongoing community care to work towards recovery.  

“Being recognized by the National Governors Association is a testament of our state’s unwavering commitment to pioneering innovative overdose prevention strategies and policies,” said Kari Armijo, acting cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department. “As we work collaboratively with hospitals and community providers, our shared vision is to ensure every New Mexican has access to timely care and support.” 

NM Bridge has successfully partnered with four hospitals across the state: 

• Gallup Indian Medical Center, Gallup, NM. 
• Holy Cross Medical Center, Taos, NM. 
• Memorial Medical Center, Las Cruces, NM. 
• Socorro General Hospital, Socorro, NM. 

The state is currently working with four more hospitals to implement the program. 

HSD continues to build program awareness and encourage hospitals participation. The NM Bridge program relies on a team of experts in OUD and hospital care that can provide peer support and education for nurses, physicians, pharmacists and other critical members of a hospital team. The program has trained over 687 hospital staff since 2020. 

The program also leverages the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center to provide 24/7 call support to staff in participating hospitals, allowing them to call anytime with specific clinical questions. This service is now available to all NM hospitals as well as providers and staff in any clinical setting with questions about treatment of OUD and medications. 

NM Bridge program will be presented at the New Mexico Hospital Association Meeting Sept. 27, 2023, and the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology in Montreal, Canada this fall.  

NGA’s roadmap publication highlights 10 states’ initiatives that exemplify best practices and innovative strategies in overdose prevention. View the full report. 

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NGA’s publication, titled “Implementing Best Practices Across the Continuum of Care to Prevent Overdose,” is a roadmap outlining concrete solutions across the full spectrum of health services: foundations, prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. The roadmap aims to support Governors and state officials in developing policy solutions to address the current opioid overdose rates. 

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The Human Services Department provides services and benefits to 1,034,001 New Mexicans through several programs including: the Medicaid Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Child Support Program, and several Behavioral Health Services.