Eastern New Mexico communities are linking up with the hope that a new regional behavioral health facility will be welcomed to the area.

Initium Health, a Denver, Colorado-based consulting firm, is starting a feasibility study to determine what gaps are currently found in behavioral health care and how to fix those gaps, according to KRQE. 

“There is just a strong mental health need," Dr. Laura Bergroth said, according to the station. "Unfortunately, patients are having to be transported 3-5 hours away to receive the mental health care and treatments that they need, and that’s just not acceptable."

Bergroth said most law enforcement workers, in general, don’t have the training to deal with people with mental health issues, according to KRQE.

“Unfortunately, these individuals are getting caught up in being arrested, jail, and then discharged back out on the street, and they never received the care that they need, and they were just falling through the gaps," Bergroth said to KRQE.

Initium is interviewing law enforcement and government officials, school employees, and health care providers to determine what gaps currently occur among individual and community health providers, according to KRQE.

If the study is successful, construction of a behavioral health facility will begin after the study, the station said.