Committee gives due pass to $10M proposal for debt-free behavioral-health graduate scholarships

The House Education Committee issued a due pass recommendation on House Bill 375, a bill that would create a $10 million fund to provide debt-free scholarships to students pursuing graduate behavioral-health degrees in New Mexico and require recipients to serve in-state for a period of time corresponding to the years of scholarship support.

Representative Ferrari, the bill sponsor, described the proposal as part of a broader effort to build a behavioral-health workforce to support expanded services across the state. "This proposal is a strong effort to train more behavioral health professionals by paying stipends for their tuition, but then following up by keeping them in our state serving New Mexicans," said Enrique Nell of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, who testified in support. Contributor and organizer Connie Beheel summarized existing program models and university pipelines, including UNM’s BAMD program, and stressed that graduate and doctoral training can take multiple years and may require expanded institutional capacity.

Supporters said the bill would improve recruitment and retention of clinicians—psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, social workers and other licensed providers—by covering tuition, fees and licensing costs and pairing scholarship support with a service contract. Several presenters emphasized that in-state graduate seats are currently limited and that the fund would help universities expand capacity and keep graduates in-state.

Committee members pressed sponsors on sustainability and details. Representative Lara asked how many students the appropriation would cover; witnesses estimated approximately 100 full graduate-year equivalents at typical graduate costs, but said institutions are still building capacity. Representatives raised questions about whether priority should go to New Mexico residents, how higher education would administer and enforce service contracts, and whether the appropriation should be tied explicitly to other behavioral-health appropriations in the budget. The budget director and witnesses confirmed a separate $3 million appropriation for related behavioral-health student support existed in the budget, and sponsors said they would pursue coordination with appropriations and higher education to maximize impact.

On a roll call the committee approved a due pass on the bill (recorded roll call with mixed yes/no votes); committee members who voted against it cited concerns about appropriations timing, precedent for enforcement and the administrative burden of recouping funds if recipients did not complete service obligations. Sponsors said they would work with appropriations and higher education to refine eligibility, residency preference, and enforcement language before further action.