Wellness Equity Alliance Calls on Bernalillo County to Provide Quality-Based Transition Plan for Addiction Treatment Program at the Metropolitan Detention Center
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wellness Equity Alliance (WEA) has been notified that Bernalillo County will terminate its Addiction Treatment Program (ATP) contract at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) effective October 31, 2025. The decision came without explanation or a transition plan, despite the program's record of expanding access to care and reducing recidivism.
Since its launch, ATP has transformed access to treatment for incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders. Wait times once exceeding six months, keeping people in jail longer than their sentences, were reduced to 21 days for men and eliminated for women. To date, 524 people have graduated from the program, each marking an investment in safer, healthier communities.
"Our responsibility is to stand up for the people this program was created to serve and to be their voice," said Brandon Smith, Practice Manager for Health Yeah!. "The Addiction Treatment Program has given incarcerated individuals timely access to care that supports recovery and reduces recidivism. Ending it now, without a clear, quality-based transition, jeopardizes both patient health and community safety."
WEA also launched the county's first reentry program, delivering treatment, counseling, and case management within 72 hours of release, a critical window for preventing relapse and re-offense. By contrast, other programs only provide prescriptions, with fewer than 30 percent of patients filling them. "Addiction is complex, and access to care is everything. Canceling contracts without a quality transition plan forces patients to suffer and drives up taxpayer costs," Smith added.
Dr. Tyler Evans, CEO and Chief Medical Officer of WEA, emphasized, "We will continue to advocate for a responsible path forward, because the individuals behind these walls deserve the same dignity and continuity of care as anyone else."
The ATP team, comprised of licensed addiction professionals, has built trust with incarcerated patients, courts, and community partners. "This program has been a lifeline for so many people who otherwise would have fallen through the cracks," said Selina Law, MSCC, LADAC, ACS, ATP Lead for WEA New Mexico. "Halting services without a continuity strategy jeopardizes progress and undermines public safety."
Judges, who frequently sentence individuals to ATP as part of release plans, have also received no notice of its termination. This lack of coordination adds strain on the judicial process and families alike.
Community Call to Action
The decision mirrors the county's earlier suspension of Health Yeah!, WEA's school-based health program. Both moves strip critical health resources from children, families, and individuals in recovery. WEA will attend the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners meeting on September 23, 2025, to urge reconsideration and calls on community members to show support.
Visit healthyeahnm.com/support to:
- Sign the petition to continue Health Yeah! and ATP services
- Attend the Board of Commissioners meeting (5:00 PM, Ken Sanchez Commission Chambers, 415 Silver Ave SW, Albuquerque)
- Contact county officials
- Download and share social media posts
Together, we can ensure Bernalillo County families are not left without the care they deserve.
About Wellness Equity Alliance
Wellness Equity Alliance is a national alliance of public health leaders committed to removing barriers to care and reimagining health delivery for historically marginalized communities.
Contact:
Brandon Smith | Practice Manager, Health Yeah! of New Mexico
(505) 930-9550 | brandon@wellnessequityalliance.com
View original content:SOURCE Wellness Equity Alliance