3 takeaways from the homelessness council’s February meeting

The Homelessness Coordinating Council, which includes representatives from Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and the University of New Mexico, tries to expand and strengthen services and affordable housing. On Tuesday, the council discussed local shelters and xylazine in New Mexico.

Here are three takeaways from the council’s February meeting:

1. Local shelters were near capacity last month

Several Albuquerque homelessness resources have been at or near capacity in the last month. The Family Navigation Center at Gateway has been at full capacity and is fully staffed. It recently celebrated housing over 1,000 people, said Maria Wolfe, City of Albuquerque homeless innovations officer. The city is focused on increasing Housing Navigation Center spaces at the Gateway Center to expand the number of beds available for men and women. The Gateway Center's Medical Sobering Center and Medical Respite are under construction and expected to open next winter.

The Westside Shelter has been close to capacity over the last month but never reached it, with nearly 600 people staying there many nights and approximately 300 staying at the shelter during the day.

2. The council is trying to create a new opportunity for training

The Homelessness Council is starting to plan a dual diagnosis training conference meant to give care providers an opportunity to learn more about providing treatment for addiction and mental health disorders, which are often co-occurring. The conference will likely try to bring in a wide range of attendees, including people who treat mental health, who work with people who are homeless, who have lived experience, criminal justice system providers and primary care providers.

3. Xylazine is still showing up in New Mexico

Xylazine is in New Mexico. Xylazine, also called tranq, is a horse tranquilizer that people use in combination with fentanyl. The number of cases still seems small, but multiple providers in Española have recently reported cases. The state health department first reported two cases in April 2023 of xylazine use in New Mexico. One risk with xylazine is that it heavily sedates someone, which means they can become the victim of a crime like sexual abuse, said Dr. Doug Ziedonis, CEO of UNM health system.