New Mexico Bridge is a New Mexico Behavioral Health Services Division initiative.
The New Mexico Bridge Project is a state-funded initiative which seeks to support hospital-based EDs across the state in establishing Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs for opioid use disorder in the acute setting (ED, hospital) with a bridge to community partners to continue treatment (medication and therapy).
This project is led by experts at the University of New Mexico and Presbyterian Health System and under the guidance of New Mexico’s Behavioral Health Services, to expand access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder in the acute care setting, with a focus on hospital emergency departments.
The New Mexico Bridge Project is based on an Implementation Team which is comprised of addiction trained specialists, nursing educators, billing expertise, and grants support. Our team works collaboratively with hospital and ED leaders to establish a state-funded budget to support the project, develop an implementation plan, establish protocols, provide education (e.g., X-Waivers, stigma/harm reduction training, nursing-specific training), and support the hospital and ED leaders every step of the way. Through the NM Poison Center, we also offer 24/7 addiction medicine telephone support in which you can contact an addiction specialist with clinical or technical questions.
Meet Our Implementation Team
Snehal Bhatt, MD
Clinical Director for Behavioral Health Integration and Education
Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen MD, MSc
Engagement and Dissemination Director
Leslie Hayes, MD
Clinical Director of Women’s Health and Obstetrical Care
Cindy M. Ketcham, RN, EdD, MSHE, BSN, NEA-BC, LNCC, HACP, CARN, CCHP
Director of Nursing Education
Eric Ketcham MD, MBA, FACEP, FASAM, FACHE
Director of Clinical Implementation; Co-lead for Statewide Infrastructure Development
Julie Salvador, PhD
Principal Investigator/Project Director
Sally Wait, BSN
Director of Community Outreach
