CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Cibola County is moving forward as the Lead Accountable Entity for Region 13 under New Mexico’s Behavioral Health Regional Infrastructure Act (SB3/BHRIA), according to an update from Marcie Chavez, coordinator for the Cibola County Health Council.
The statewide initiative is intended to strengthen behavioral health services by bringing counties, tribal communities, providers, and community partners together to identify regional needs and help shape future investments in crisis services, treatment access, and prevention. Region 13 includes Cibola, Valencia, and Sandoval counties, along with multiple tribal communities across the region.
As part of the regional planning process, facilitated Regional Planning Workshops— also described as ESIM sessions—are scheduled forApril 8, 9, and 10 in Cibola County. Chavez said the sessions will focus on identifying top behavioral health priorities for both adults and youth in the region, and that the outcomes will directly inform future funding opportunities.
Stakeholders are encouraged to participate so that the region’s priorities reflect local needs and lived experience, Chavez said. In addition to the workshops, community listening sessions are expected to be scheduled soon to gather broader input from residents, providers, and partner organizations. Dates and locations for those listening sessions have not yet been finalized, Chavez said, and more details will be shared as they are confirmed.
Residents and organizations interested in getting involved can contact Chavez at marcie@workwithzia.co or follow updates through the Cibola Health Council newsletter.
The update also included a notice about the Cibola County Health Council’s 2025 fact sheet, which Chavez said outlines the council’s mission and priorities, including behavioral health goals. The fact sheet highlights community partnerships and local data related to poverty, mental health, substance use, and access to care, describing both ongoing challenges and local progress. Chavez said the council’s work emphasizes using data and collaboration to strengthen networks, reduce stigma, and increase access to behavioral health services.
Rural Health Fund Awards Include Cibola County Recipients Separately, a state announcement out of Santa Fe said 32 rural health care organizations across New Mexico will share $20 million in fiscal year 2026 awards from the state’s Rural Health Care Delivery Fund to expand primary care services.
The announcement said the awards will support projects aimed at strengthening local health care capacity and improving access to coordinated, person-centered care in underserved areas, including tribal communities in Cibola County.
The state said specific grant amounts are still being finalized.
“We created this fund because rural health care providers were struggling to keep their doors open, let alone expand,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in the announcement. “These awards will help meet a pressing need for care in rural communities that have gone too long without adequate services.”
State officials said the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund was established by the New Mexico Legislature in 2023 to help rural providers offset operating losses and start-up costs for new or expanded services. This funding cycle prioritized primary care projects from Medicaid- enrolled providers that address documented community needs in underserved areas.
Among the listed recipients in Northwestern New Mexico were Cibola General Hospital in Grants and the Cañoncito Band of Navajo Health Center, Inc. in To’hajillee, both communities in Cibola County which serve Indigenous Americans.
More information about the Rural Health Care Delivery Fund is available at hca.nm.gov/primary-carecouncil.