About the Commission

The NM Supreme Court formed the Commission in 2022 with the recognition that mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes the individual’s own abilities, can cope with the stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to the community. Therefore, the promotion, protection, and restoration of mental health is a vital concern of communities throughout New Mexico because mental health is fundamental to the collective and individual ability to think, emote, interact with others, earn a living, and enjoy meaningful lives.

New Mexico Supreme Court Order Establishing the Commission on Mental Health and Competency

Commission on Mental Health and Competency 2024-2029 – Strategic Plan

Mission

The mission of the New Mexico Supreme Court Commission on Mental Health and Competency is to improve access to the justice system and treatment services based on an individual’s mental health status.

Objectives

The objectives of the New Mexico Supreme Court Commission on Mental Health and Competency are:

  • to promote fair treatment of affected individuals,
  • to improve public safety through appropriate and meaningful behavioral health interventions, and
  • to provide proper education and training to judges, lawyers, court staff, and cross-system partners at the intersection of behavioral health and criminal justice.

The New Mexico Supreme Court Commission on Mental Health and Competency seeks to achieve its objectives through the following:

  1. Using the collective knowledge of its members to recommend system-wide responses to justice-involved persons with mental illness, specifically those policies related to competency to stand trial; to ensure timely identification of adults and juveniles in need of mental health treatment early in the process; and to ensure the referral, when necessary, of individuals with mental health needs to appropriate services for community-based treatment;
  2. Advancing intergovernmental communication and cross-system collaboration to reduce barriers to proper mental and behavioral health care while in the justice system and to ensure proper communication of necessary data to direct appropriate solutions while protecting privacy; and
  3. Improving the allocation of resources, particularly to under-resourced rural and urban communities, in recognition of New Mexico’s diversity of large populated and smaller communities, including New Mexico’s sovereign tribal nations.

Past Meeting Dates

Upcoming Meeting Dates

  • January 9th, 2025
  • May 22th, 2025
  • August 21st, 2025
  • October 30th, 2025

Contact

Please contact Kerry Armour at aockla@nmcourts.gov for more information and to participate.