What is a first session at Desert Wise like?
Who can come with me to my first appointment?
Can I bring my child with me?
How do I set up my first appointment?
Will I have to take medication as part of my treatment?
What’s the difference between the different types of mental health professionals?
Who will be able to find out that I’m in mental health treatment?
How much does therapy cost?
What insurance do you accept?
Where can I go to find a support group?
What do I do if I have a concern about how a psychologist or other mental health professional is conducting business?
Are there free or low-cost counseling options in Albuquerque?
Is Desert Wise open on the weekends?
Is Desert Wise open for evening sessions?
What if I don’t feel my therapist is the right fit for me?
How do I find a good therapist in the community?
What do I do if I’m feeling suicidal or am worried about a loved one taking their life?
What is a first session at Desert Wise like?
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- Please either complete the electronic forms online and arrive at your scheduled session time -OR- arrive 45 minutes early to complete the paper packet provided in the lobby.
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- The first session will heavily focus on who you are, what your concern is, your background, and what you hope to accomplish in treatment. This session is designed to efficiently gather a lot of information.
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- You will be given the opportunity to ask questions, state preferences, and address concerns.
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- Subsequent sessions are more like what we traditionally think of when we think of therapy.
Who can come with me to my first appointment?
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- You can bring any legal adult with you, but your therapist will ask that they remain in the lobby for the duration of your face-to-face appointment time.
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- Bringing someone else to your therapy sessions, in general, is something that you and your therapist should discuss and agree upon beforehand, to ensure that it is clinically appropriate, useful, and in your best interest to do so.
Can I bring my child with me?
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- We do not permit minors to sit in your therapy session, as this can be disruptive, and the content of the session isn’t likely appropriate for a child.
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- Since we do not conduct child therapy, there are rarely circumstances in which you should bring children to the clinic. Children should never be left unsupervised in the lobby. Desert Wise is not responsible for the safety of a child left unattended on the premises. Your therapist may ask you to reschedule your appointment if you bring your child.
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- If childcare is a problem, talk to your therapist about problem-solving potential solutions.
How do I set up my first appointment?
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- Call us at (505) 361-1957. If we are not available to take your call, we encourage you to leave a voicemail with your contact information. How quickly we return your call will vary based on patient care and other obligations, but we will make every effort to return your call expeditiously.
Will I have to take medication as part of my treatment?
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- No. Desert Wise does not currently employ any prescribers. Your primary care doctor or an independent psychiatrist can consult with you about whether you should consider medication.
What’s the difference between the different types of mental health professionals?
Title | Typical Degree Type | Typical Practice Functions |
Regulatory Authority | ||
Psychiatrist | (MD) Medical doctor with specialized training in mental & emotional illnesses | Prescribing psychiatric medications, Diagnosis |
New Mexico Medical Board | ||
Clinical Psychologist | (PhD, PsyD) Doctoral degree in psychology | Psychotherapy, Psychological testing, Diagnosis |
New Mexico Board of Psychologist Examiners | ||
Clinical Social Worker | (MSW, LCSW) Master’s degree or higher in social work | Psychotherapy, Diagnosis |
Board of Social Work Examiners | ||
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner | (NP, DNP) Master’s degree equivalent or higher | Prescribing psychiatric medications, Diagnosis |
New Mexico Board of Nursing | ||
Licensed Professional Counselor | (LPC, LPCC) Master’s degree or higher in psychology, counseling, or related field | Psychotherapy |
New Mexico Board of Counseling and Therapy Practice | ||
Marital and Family Therapist | (LAMFT, LMFT) Master’s degree or higher with specialized training in marital & family therapy | Psychotherapy |
New Mexico Board of Counseling and Therapy Practice | ||
Mental Health Counselor | (LMHC) Master’s degree or higher in counseling or related field | Psychotherapy |
New Mexico Board of Counseling and Therapy Practice | ||
Licensed Professional Art Therapist | (LPAT, ATR) Master’s degree or higher | Uses forms of art to aid patients in emotional exploration |
New Mexico Board of Counseling and Therapy Practice | ||
Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor | (LADAC) Associate’s degree or higher in an Addictions Counseling related field | Substance abuse-related Psychotherapy |
New Mexico Board of Counseling and Therapy Practice | ||
Licensed Substance Abuse Associate | (LSAA) Tier 1: Associate’s Degree; Tier 2: Bachelor’s Degree; Tier 3: Master’s Degree | Substance abuse-related Psychotherapy; must have a clinical supervisor |
New Mexico Board of Counseling and Therapy Practice | ||
Pastoral Counselor | Associate’s degree or higher in an ecclesiastical field | Spirituality-based counseling |
Ecclesiastical groups | ||
Mental Health Technician | (MHT) High School Diploma or GED or higher | Ancillary paraprofessionals; may conduct limited, supervised clinical interviews, co-facilitate groups, administer screeners & psychological tests, & manage administrative tasks |
Employer responsible for proficiency | ||
Certified Peer Support Worker | (CPSW) High School Diploma or GED or higher; is a current or former mental health consumer | Providing support & skill-building |
Office of Peer Recovery and Engagement |
Who will be able to find out that I’m in mental health treatment?
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- Generally, your treatment status and information are only available to the people you disclose it to. Exceptions include:
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- When a patient reports intent to harm themselves or someone else
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- When a patient reveals abuse to a vulnerable population (e.g., children, elderly, disabled)
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- When there is a court order, subpoena, or other lawful demand
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- Generally, your treatment status and information are only available to the people you disclose it to. Exceptions include:
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- Except for the situations above, your mental health therapist is not authorized or permitted to release any information about you without your written permission.
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- Your mental health information is protected by the federal Privacy Act of 1974 (5 USC § 552a), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, and the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
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- Some employers, graduate schools, professional boards, or regulatory agencies may ask you for counseling records. It is the patient’s decision to acknowledge whether he or she has received therapy.
How much does therapy cost?
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- Cost varies based on a number of factors, including: level of training of the therapist, type of facility, availability of sliding scale fees, etc.
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- See Dr. Henrie’s fee scale on the Insurance & Fees page.
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- Our supervised providers see patients on a sliding scale fee basis.
What insurance do you accept?
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- For information on Desert Wise’s accepted insurances, visit the Insurance & Fees page.
Where can I go to find a support group?
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- There are many support groups available in the Albuquerque metro area. The links below provide a good start in your search for a support group:
What do I do if I have a concern about how a psychologist or other mental health professional is conducting business?
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- If both possible and safe, you should first speak directly to your therapist about your concerns, as mental health professionals are trained to expect and respond appropriately to patient feedback.
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- If speaking to your therapist is not possible or turns out to be ineffective, you can consider requesting another therapist (i.e., if your therapist is in a group practice) or speaking to the agency’s Patient Advocate. If your therapist is a solo practitioner, you might be best advised to seek another therapist in the community.
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- If you feel your therapist is conducting business unethically, engaging in inappropriate billing practices, or violating your rights, contacting their licensing or regulatory board might be the next best step. (Links to these boards are provided in the question above about different types of mental health professionals.)
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- If you’re not sure about whether you should be concerned, you might take the time to review the Ethics Code of your therapist. The Code will vary based on which type of professional you see, but their respective Ethics Code should be easy to find on the internet.
- Dr. Henrie, for example, is held to the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
- If you’re not sure about whether you should be concerned, you might take the time to review the Ethics Code of your therapist. The Code will vary based on which type of professional you see, but their respective Ethics Code should be easy to find on the internet.
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- Additional resources for concerns are included below:
- New Mexico Protection & Advocacy System
Phone: (505) 256-3100
- New Mexico Protection & Advocacy System
- Additional resources for concerns are included below:
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- Disability Rights New Mexico
3916 Juan Tabo Blvd., NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111
Phone: (505) 256-3100
Toll Free: 1-800-432-4682
Website: http://www.drnm.org/
- Disability Rights New Mexico
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- Mental Health Self-Advocacy Tips http://www.drnm.org/index.php?page=mental-health
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- If you feel your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the agency below:
- US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/
- US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
- If you feel your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the agency below:
Are there free or low-cost counseling options in Albuquerque?
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- There are, and some of these options are listed below, though Desert Wise does not maintain a comprehensive list.
- Alameda Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Sliding scale of fees based on income
Phone: (505) 890-1458
Website: http://www.fcch.com/index.php?page=alameda-center
- Alameda Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
- There are, and some of these options are listed below, though Desert Wise does not maintain a comprehensive list.
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- Alamosa Health Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Sliding scale of fees based on income
Phone: (505) 831-2534
Website: http://www.fcch.com/index.php?page=alamosa-center
- Alamosa Health Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
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- Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured; Low Income
Cost: Free or low cost
Phone: (505) 242-4644
Website: http://abqhch.org/ahch-programs/primary-care-services
- Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless
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- Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center
Eligibility: Victims of sexual assault
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 266-7711
Website: http://rapecrisiscnm.org/
- Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center
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- Children’s Grief Center
Eligibility: Ages 5-25 & grieving the loss of a loved one
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 323-0478
Website: https://childrensgrief.org/
- Children’s Grief Center
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- Community Access Clinic at Sage Neuroscience Center
Eligibility: Unknown
Cost: Sliding scale; estimated at $45 per session
Phone: (505) 884-1114
Website: https://sageclinic.org/low-cost-mental-health-counseling/
- Community Access Clinic at Sage Neuroscience Center
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- First Nations Community Health Source
Eligibility: Native American individuals
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 262-2481
Website: http://www.fnch.org/
- First Nations Community Health Source
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- Indian Health Service
Eligibility: Native American individuals
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 248-4500
Website: https://www.ihs.gov/albuquerque/
- Indian Health Service
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- Manzanita Counseling Center (open spring & fall semesters)
Eligibility: Unknown
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 277-7311
Website: https://coe.unm.edu/departments-programs/ifce/counselor-education/manzanita-counseling-center.html
- Manzanita Counseling Center (open spring & fall semesters)
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- Morning Star
Eligibility: Native American individuals
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 232-8299
Website: http://www.cabq.gov/police/crime-prevention-safety/personal-safety/domestic-violence/
- Morning Star
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- National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
Eligibility: Unknown
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 256-0288
Website: http://naminewmexico.org/
- National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
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- New Day Youth & Family Services
Eligibility: Unknown
Cost: Unknown
Phone: (505) 260-9912
Website: http://www.ndnm.org/
- New Day Youth & Family Services
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- New Mexico AIDS Services – Albuquerque
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Free or low cost
Phone: (505) 938-7100
Website: http://www.nmas.net/page/testing/
- New Mexico AIDS Services – Albuquerque
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- North Valley Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Sliding scale of fees based on income
Phone: (505) 345-3244
Website: http://www.fcch.com/index.php?page=north-valley-center
- North Valley Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
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- PMG Adult & Geriatric Behavioral Health Clinic
Eligibility: No Insurance Guidelines; Call for income guidelines
Cost: Financial assistance available
Phone: (505) 291-5300
Website: https://kaseman-hospital.phs.org/services/Pages/clinics.aspx
- PMG Adult & Geriatric Behavioral Health Clinic
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- PMG at 1325 Wyoming
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Financial assistance available
Phone: (505) 291-5300
Website: https://www.phs.org/locations/Pages/default.aspx#type=clinic
- PMG at 1325 Wyoming
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- PMG Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Clinic
Eligibility: No Insurance Guidelines; Call for income guidelines
Cost: Financial assistance available
Phone: (505) 291-5300
Website: https://kaseman-hospital.phs.org/services/Pages/clinics.aspx
- PMG Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Clinic
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- PMG Intensive Outpatient Program for Substance Abuse
Eligibility: No Insurance Guidelines; Call for income guidelines
Cost: Financial assistance available
Phone: (505) 291-2504
Website: https://kaseman-hospital.phs.org/services/Pages/clinics.aspx
- PMG Intensive Outpatient Program for Substance Abuse
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- Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Financial assistance available
Phone: (505) 265-1711
Website: http://www.albuquerque.va.gov/locations/directions.asp
- Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center
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- Rio Grande High School Clinic (First Choice Community Healthcare) (open during school year)
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Sliding scale of fees based on income
Phone: (505) 873-0220
Website: http://www.fcch.com/index.php?page=rio-grande-hs
- Rio Grande High School Clinic (First Choice Community Healthcare) (open during school year)
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- South Broadway Health Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Sliding scale of fees based on income
Phone: (505) 768-5450
Website: http://www.fcch.com/index.php?page=south-broadway-center
- South Broadway Health Center (First Choice Community Healthcare)
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- South Valley Family Health Commons – Medical
Eligibility: Uninsured, Underinsured, Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid
Cost: Sliding scale of fees based on income
Phone: (505) 873-7400
Website: http://www.fcch.com/index.php?page=south-valley-family-health-commons
- South Valley Family Health Commons – Medical
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- UNM Department of Psychology Alcohol Specialty Clinic
Eligibility: Residents of ABQ & surrounding areas; both voluntary & mandated
Cost: Low-cost, sliding scale based on your income
Phone: (505) 277-5165
Website: https://psych.unm.edu/community/alcohol-specialty-clinic.html
- UNM Department of Psychology Alcohol Specialty Clinic
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- UNM Student Health
Eligibility: UNM students
Cost: Varies
Phone: (505) 277-4537
Website: http://shac.unm.edu/
- UNM Student Health
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- Vet Centers (US Department of Veteran Affairs)
Eligibility: Veterans & service members who served in any combat zone & received a military campaign ribbon (& their family members)
Cost: Free
Phone: (505) 346-6562
Website: https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/Vet_Center_Services.asp
- Vet Centers (US Department of Veteran Affairs)
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- Villa de Paz
Eligibility: Unknown; assistance available for immigrants (both legal & illegal)
Cost: Sliding scale of fees
Phone: (505) 766-5197
Website: Unknown
- Villa de Paz
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Is Desert Wise open on the weekends?
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- No.
Is Desert Wise open for evening sessions?
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- No.
What if I don’t feel my therapist is the right fit for me?
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- The quality of the therapeutic relationship is the single best predictor of therapy effectiveness, which means that how well you fit with your therapist can significantly impact your response to treatment. If you believe that your therapist is not a good fit for you, you should talk with them about seeing someone else. Therapists are trained to help and support patients in this situation and will refer you to another therapist and/or modify their own approach to meet your needs.
How do I find a good therapist in the community?
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- Given the importance of the fit between you and your therapist, finding the right therapist is paramount.
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- You can ask trusted friends and family members. The right therapist for them might not be the right therapist for you. Nevertheless, members of your inner circle know your personality and may know of a therapist that would be a good fit.
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- You can ask your primary care doctor or another professional source. These professionals are likely well-connected to the local professional community and generally have experience referring patients to mental health professionals. Your primary care doctor can be a vital hub for recommending tried-and-tested specialists.
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- You can check with your insurance company to get a list of covered (i.e., in-network) mental health professionals. From this list, you can research the professional’s online reviews, website content, and other information available.
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- The therapist’s website content can be critical for determining if they would be a good fit for you. From reading the site, what do you think about what they have to say? Do their approaches and philosophies fit what you need?
If you contact a therapist who isn’t currently taking new patients, consider asking them:
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- If they have a waiting list
- If they can recommend another therapist
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- Perhaps most importantly, don’t settle. If you meet with a new therapist that isn’t the right fit, continue your search. Therapy isn’t an osmotic process; you have to be actively engaged and motivated. A poor therapeutic fit can derail your engagement and motivation.
What do I do if I’m feeling suicidal or am worried about a loved one taking their life?
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- Seek immediate assistance.
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- You can call 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Room.
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- Albuquerque residents can also call:
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- AGORA Crisis Center (505) 277-3013
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- Bernalillo County Crisis Line 1-855-NMCRISIS (1-855-662-7474)
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- New Mexico Statewide Crisis Line 1-866-HELP-1-NM (1-866-435-7166)
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- US National Suicide Hotline 1-800-784-2433
- US National Crisis Hotline 1-800-273-8255
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- Albuquerque residents can also call:
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- You can text:
- Crisis Text Line by texting “Go” to 741741
- You can text:
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- Desert Wise does not provide emergency services. If you are experiencing an emergency, use an appropriate option listed above.