Opioid Remediation Collaborative outlines new programs, data and $1M award benefiting Luna County

Shawna Hartley, executive director of the Opioid Remediation Collaborative (ORC), told the Luna County commission the regional effort has expanded to include Luna and Grant counties and that the project's combined settlement funds rose from roughly $6.3 million to $9.3 million for Region 6.

Hartley opened with national and state overdose figures, saying in 2024 "we have 53,336" overdose deaths nationally and New Mexico recorded 739 in 2024. She emphasized missed intervention opportunities in county-level data and urged broader access to treatment and Narcan training. "At 5.8 percent, very few people were in treatment," she said, and noted that 62.1 percent of decedents had a potential bystander present, arguing for more community Narcan availability.

Hartley outlined ORC services available to Luna County residents: a set of three digital-therapeutics applications (for adults, companions and teens) with 24/7 peer support; accredited continuing medical education for clinicians; and training modules. She said ORC helped secure a $1,000,000 award supporting a 21-day social rehabilitation program (AARTC) that will benefit Luna County and that ORC nearly received another $1,000,000 for mobile-crisis services, with Grant County to host the hub and Luna County as a spoke.

Local 988 data for the January–March quarter were presented as evidence of local need: 40 calls in January (33 escalated to a clinician), 51 in February (45 escalated), and 80 in March (71 escalated), Hartley said, adding that many callers (20 in January, 28 in February and 28 in March) identified a substance-use issue. "People in Luna County are calling 988 when they're really on the brink," she said, and urged investment in follow-up and outreach so more callers will accept outbound check-in calls.

Commissioners asked about medication-assisted treatment and program length. Hartley described clinical practice: some patients may need medication-assisted therapy for 18 months or longer, while inpatient programs address emergent crises. "We need to put our investment in outpatient services," she said, adding that housing plus wraparound supports reduces relapse risk.

Hartley also described ORC's plan to pursue federal transformation dollars and said she will request approximately $40,000,000 for infrastructure (telehealth connectivity, buildings and related needs) that would serve all 10 participating counties.

The presentation concluded with an invitation to use ORC's website (orcnm.com) and apps for training and referrals; Hartley said the digital tools and peer-support lines are free to residents in the participating counties.