The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) announced that they have partnered with CHESS Health to provide peer support via the eRecovery Connections app for community members in treatment and recovery for substance use disorder. The app is part of the Connections for Recovery Initiative, which equips New Mexico's behavioral health providers with an additional tool to support people experiencing opioid, alcohol, or other substance use disorder.
“The Connections app is a support tool to be used in conjunction with treatment for people with substance use disorder or people experiencing behavioral health issues,” said Angela Medrano, deputy secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department. “This tool helps increase treatment adherence and supports individuals on their path to recovery.”
“We need to do everything we can to keep helping people achieve sustained recovery from substance use disorder,” said Neal Bowen, PhD., Director of HSD’s Behavioral Health Services. “That’s exactly why the time is right for us to support individuals’ day and night, no matter where they are —We can do that with the Connections app.”
HSD partnered with CHESS Health to provide a set of evidence-based digital tools and peer support as an extension of treatment and therapy for substance use disorder. These tools help individuals reduce isolation, build confidence, and adhere to a treatment and recovery plan. The Connections app is available at no cost to providers and patients through tribal health centers, community health centers that are federally qualified health centers, sober living residences, and through other resources such as the 988 crisis support line.
The app includes specialized support for teens, pregnant and postpartum people, and returning citizens with experience in the justice system.
• The Connections app is available directly to community members on their phone.
• Additional appbased technology currently available to New Mexicans is the NMConnect app, designed as an extension of the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line’s array of services and a tool for finding resources.
• And, for those that need to access online digital therapeutic self-help resources log onto the NM 5-Actions Program online, to begin your journey into recovery.