Santa Fe County Commission approves lease with Santa Fe Recovery Center
Feb. 24—The Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a lease agreement Tuesday between the county and Santa Fe Recovery Center for a recently renovated building that will be used as a detoxification center.
Santa Fe Recovery Center will provide a host of services at 2052 Galisteo St. in Santa Fe, including intake, assessment and detoxification treatment, plus behavioral health assessments, treatment planning, transportation, and room and board.
"This has been something that has been important to myself, my predecessor and many of the commissioners on this board," Commissioner Anna Hansen said. "To start to see this come to fruition and get this done is fantastic.
"This is not only good for the county," she added. "This is going to provide benefits for all of the city and county residents."
The lease for the 5,574-square-foot space designated for the recovery center was appraised at $14,864 per month, but in lieu of cash payments to the county, the center will provide services valued at $334 per day/per client.
Under the agreement, Santa Fe County will pay all maintenance, utilities, taxes and insurance on the building, which it owns. The state Board of Finance ultimately will need to approve the lease contract.
The county originally entered into a lease agreement with Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center for operation of a county detoxification and sobering center in 2016, but in May 2017, with the county's approval, that agreement was handed over to Santa Fe Recovery Center, a nonprofit.
Prior to giving the contract to Santa Fe Recovery Center, hospital officials had discussed shutting down the location, which was opened in 2010 under a county program to help keep people with alcohol and drug abuse disorders out of jail and emergency rooms.
The original lease was terminated in October 2019 so the county could complete renovation of the building, and a new contract was executed in June between the county and Santa Fe Recovery Center for service.
The Behavioral Health Crisis Center also will lease a portion of the 11,000-square-foot building from the county to provide services through New Mexico Solutions, a nonprofit, Albuquerque-based behavioral health services provider.
Commissioner Henry Roybal said the center is something that has been a long time coming and is desperately needed by the community.
While acknowledging that detox is a difficult service to provide, Commissioner Hank Hughes questioned whether the center tracks outcomes for services.
Rachel O'Connor, Santa Fe County's community services director, told the board the center does track outcomes, but she did not have the rates in front of her to provide.
Commissioner Rudy Garcia requested O'Connor return with a report on the location's outcomes at the next commission meeting.
"When our tax dollars pay for individuals who need help in the community, we need to know how it is working and if it is and if it isn't," Garcia said.
