'A big piece of the puzzle': Bernalillo County CARE Campus launched young adult program

Adriann Barboa didn’t know it then, but her experiences over two decades ago working as a counselor for young people transitioning out of foster care would become the primary reason she would run for public office.

“As a case manager, I would run into barriers (getting resources) that I knew my client needed,” said Barboa, a Bernalillo County commissioner. “Someone above me was telling me I couldn’t do this thing or that and I really wanted to solve problems, so that is the reason why I chose to run.”

It was that deep passion for the well-being of Bernalillo County’s youth that made Wednesday so special for Barboa, who joined a crowd at the county’s CARE Campus to celebrate the opening of the new young adult program.

This new initiative, which targets people ages 18-26, is the latest service offered by the CARE Campus, which helps those dealing with alcoholism, alcohol use, drug dependence, drug use, and mental health conditions within the community and provides them with a variety of direct care programs.

These programs include a detoxification, supportive aftercare, an outpatient clinic and law enforcement-assisted diversion or LEAD, all of which are offered to all Bernalillo County residents at no cost. The youth adult program came about after the campus staff noticed younger people in particular coming through their doors at greater numbers than before.

“We’ve been seeing a lot more younger people coming through detox and when we try to refer them to another transitional living community, they struggle with the structure of it,” said Jessica Jaramillo-Salazar, the director of the Bernalillo County Behavioral Health Services.

Seeing that the campus and its staff already had all the pieces in place to provide a program for this population, the department decided to launch its new young adult program.

Consisting of a 45-day stay, the program will start off with the capacity to host 16 people — eight men and eight women. Those who enroll will be provided with a structured living environment at the CARE Campus, where they learn daily living skills, participate in skills and strengths-based groups and learn how to write résumés, interview for jobs and how to become involved in the community. Opportunities for daily exercises and weekly yoga and meditation groups will also be available.

“If they need their GED, housing, counseling or extra treatment, we’re there to help them,” Jaramillo-Salazar said.

The program is voluntary and participants can leave at any time. But Jaramillo-Salazar hopes that the interactions these young people have with each other and the older population also seeking treatment at the campus will show them that there is a life for them beyond the daily struggles with addiction.

“We want to show them that they do have a support system and that there is things to be excited about in life,” she said. “I want them to be excited to live a sober life.”

In celebration of the new program opening, the CARE Campus hosted a ribbon cutting in its courtyard Wednesday morning. A series of speakers addressed the gathering, including Barboa, who credited the county and the campus’ commitment to helping Bernalillo County’s youth find the care they need.

“This is a big piece of the puzzle and I believe this program will have a public health and safety impact for generations to come,” she said.