Carlsbad mental health care transitions to new providers

April 01--CARLSBAD -- Management of Carlsbad's mental health services officially transitions to two new providers today, but patients should see little change in care.

Turquoise Health and Wellness, Carlsbad's main source for mental health treatment, announced in January that it would pull out of Carlsbad and the rest of Southeast New Mexico, which left the city of Carlsbad in a scramble to replace those services.

Presbyterian Medical Services and Golden Services have been able to take over services by today, which was the deadline.

Golden Services is taking over management of the Villa de Esperanza facility, Southeastern New Mexico's only residential substance abuse treatment program previously run by Turquoise.

Presbyterian is taking over the outpatient services that Turquoise previously offered.

"Everything is in place, and the people both in Carlsbad and around the state have been wonderful in getting things taken care of," said Carl Lieberwirth, who co-owns Golden Services with his wife, Tracy Lieberwirth.

Carl Lieberwirth said that all the contracts necessary to run the Villa de Esperanza, such as the Juvenile Community Corrections, Intensive Outpatient Therapy, the drug court program and a probation drug-testing program, are in place.

Presbyterian also is fully functional, although there will be a transition period for patients, said Rex Wilson, director of Presbyterian Medical Services for the Southern region.

"Its just a matter of identifying patients receiving services here, and getting them scheduled in our system so we can continue providing their care," Wilson said.

Lieberwirth said about four to five employees from Villa de Esperanza chose not to continue working there through the management change.

"Some have been replaced, and some have been covered by existing employees," Lieberwirth said. "Others we are still in the process (of replacing)."

Lieberwirth said Golden Services is hiring clinicians and residential treatment associates, and still has several positions to fill.

"There may be a slight change in services during the transition period over the next week or two," Lieberwirth said. "But overall, they should be continuing with the services they are getting right now."

Presbyterian was not able to keep all of its employees either, Wilson said. However, a "significant number" of the existing staff remains.

Though there are still things to work out with staffing, details such as office space and telephone numbers will remain the same. The two companies are sharing office space in the old Turquoise building at 914 N. Canal St.

Lieberwirth said that everything should be transitioned and running smoothly within the next week or two.

Beyond that, Lieberwirth said that he is looking at ways Golden Services can further expand its mental health and substance abuse treatment in Carlsbad.

Both Wilson and Lieberwirth stressed how much of a team effort it was to make the transition happen.

Golden Services and Presbyterian worked together with Turquoise, the city, the state and various other organizations to keep everything working without a lapse in services.

Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway said that, while he knows Golden Services and Presbyterian will provide great service, much more work needs to be done on mental health care in Carlsbad.

"There's a lot of work left to be done to restore behavioral health in Carlsbad," Janway said. "But we're very optimistic that we're moving in the right direction,"

Jeff Diamond, chairman of the Mayor's Mental Health Task Force, said now that these services are covered, the task force's main goal is to expand mental health services in Carlsbad.

"We want to see there be a more comprehensive residential treatment program, something more than 28 days and 20 beds," Diamond said.

The task force would like to see a long-term residential program for women and children set up, Diamond said.

Diamond said the task force wants to resurrect plans for the Legacy Regional Treatment Center, a residential treatment facility proposed in 2007 that never made it further than architectural drawings.

But for now, Diamond is excited about what Golden Services and Presbyterian Medical Services are providing.

"Both services that they are taking over are vital to the well being of the community," Diamond said. "The task force will work to support the success of their missions."

Katie England can be reached at 575-628-5516.

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