Metro Beat: $1.1M approved for mentally ill, homeless

Nov. 22--Albuquerque city councilors are pushing another $1.1 million into programs aimed at helping people who are homeless or mentally ill.

They unanimously approved $500,000 this week for housing and other services to help inmates leaving jail and $625,000 for programs aimed at filling gaps in the local mental health system, as identified by a task force.

Councilors Isaac Benton and Brad Winter sponsored the proposal.

Benton said he hopes the money will help "close the revolving door" of people who move in and out of jail while struggling with mental illness and homelessness.

Winter said the funding will help carry out priorities outlined by a task force of local officials and experts who examined what kinds of behavioral health services are already available and which are lacking.

"I think it could really change the way behavioral health is treated in New Mexico," Winter said. "I don't think that committee could have done better work."

Bernalillo County commissioners passed a similar measure in June. They approved $1.1 million to hire social service agencies to provide 75 beds in the community for homeless people leaving the jail system.

The Winter-Benton resolution directs the city to work with the county on that effort.

The county's Code of Conduct Review Board has dismissed a complaint against County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver.

The complaint focused on a news release Toulouse Oliver had issued announcing that her office had successfully mailed ballots to overseas voters, such as military personnel, despite litigation that held up some of the work.

The news release included some criticism of Secretary of State Dianna Duran. The ethics complaint called it an improper campaign ad and accused Toulouse Oliver of using government resources for political gain.

Duran and Toulouse Oliver were both running for secretary of state at the time.

Duran, meanwhile, had issued her own news releases critical of the county.

In any case, Toulouse Oliver argued that the complaint against her was frivolous, and that her news release was accurate and necessary as a response to Duran's news releases.

The board dismissed the complaint Tuesday.

The Twinkle Light Parade will be back in Nob Hill again this year. It starts at 5:15 p.m.Dec. 6, a Saturday.

Some city councilors have questioned the location. They said they liked the idea of switching the parade between Downtown and Nob Hill every other year.

Betty Rivera, the city's director of cultural services, said the parade is in Nob Hill this year because of construction on the Fourth Street mall Downtown. But she said the parade draws more people in Nob Hill.

Dan McKay can be reached at dmckay@abqjournal.com.

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