Summary 8/28/2025 Meeting (Zoom AI)
Attendees
Jen Panhorst, Pamela Blackwell, Eli Fresquez, Emma Gamelsky, Amy Russell, Jerry Harrison, Carolyn Tollett, Jamii Corley, Mary Nienow, Eric Moore, Patti West-Okiri, Estilla Lightfoot, Kim Knox, Angela Teertstra, Eleanor Chavez, Brooke Tafoya, Reba Serafin, Claire Carmony, Stacie Ortiz, Alycia Nabours, Tasia Martinez, Anna Nelson, Kristin Oreskovich
Quick recap
The meeting covered operational updates including agenda distribution, meeting minutes, and the development of a new website aimed at recruiting and retaining social workers in New Mexico. Key discussions focused on workforce challenges and opportunities in behavioral health and social work across the state, including supervision funding, faculty hiring, and the implementation of new initiatives. The group addressed budget matters and concluded with plans for a statewide event to connect social work students with professionals, emphasizing the importance of building the social work workforce.
Next steps
- Kim and Capacity Building Committee: Send a letter to Deputy Secretary McNair inviting her to a meeting to discuss workforce solutions for mental health professionals.
- Mary and Jerry: Continue overseeing the allocation of remaining funds for website development and committee initiatives.
- Executive Committee: Implement the proposed language regarding accommodations in the consortium bylaws.
- Jamii and Pamela: Continue developing the consortium website, focusing on resources for prospective social workers.
- Carolyn: Schedule a meeting for the Social Isolation and Advocacy Subgroup now that her schedule has calmed down.
- Mary: Schedule a regular monthly meeting for the Licensing Subcommittee in September based on the poll results.
- Mary: Schedule a meeting with the NASW New Mexico representative and extend an invitation for next month’s consortium meeting.
- Patti: Update the bylaws with the approved accessibility language amendment.
- Patti: Update the minutes to attribute the last line in the amendments to Alvin.
- Jamii: Send out meeting minutes to the entire membership for review and corrections.
- Pamela: Help committees with key initiatives moving forward over the next year.
- New attendees: Put their contact information in the chat if they want to be included in the consortium’s mailing list. New attendees (from chat):
- Claire Carmony clavcar@gmail.com
- Brooke Tafoya bhtafoya@gmail.com brooke.tafoya@ped.nm.gov
Summary
Committee Meeting on Bylaws and Operations
The meeting began with Jamii confirming the agenda distribution and Patti discussing the use of AI for meeting minutes due to a secretary’s unavailability. The group approved the agenda and minutes, with Jamii noting a need to attribute a comment to Alvin. Kim reported on the capacity building committee’s concerns about supervision and workforce solutions, deciding to invite the deputy secretary to a meeting. Carolyn and Mary reported on the social isolation and licensing subcommittees’ inactivity due to scheduling conflicts, with Mary also providing a treasurer’s report on funding and expenditures.
Consortium Bylaws Discussion and Approval
Patti West-Okiri led a discussion on the consortium bylaws, addressing the challenges posed by transient membership and the importance of open decision-making. An amendment to include accommodations language was proposed, emphasizing a broad and flexible approach to ensure inclusivity. After discussion, the revised bylaws were put to a vote and were approved unanimously.
Discussion on Social Work Licensure Process
Pamela Blackwell highlighted the importance of providing students with a clear timeline for the social work licensure process, including necessary exams and supervision hours. Patti West-Okiri noted that while students receive supervision during their BSW or MSW practicums, additional supervision is required for clinical licensure. Jen Panhorst clarified the updated requirements for clinical supervision hours.
Improving Communication and Inclusion in the Consortium
The meeting discussed the challenges of managing email communications for the consortium and proposed solutions, including a new system for collecting contact information from new members. Brooke Tafoya suggested that newcomers could share their contact details in the chat, that was decided to be a good approach.
Consortium Website Updates
Updates were provided on the development of a new website aimed at recruiting and retaining social workers in New Mexico, with a focus on providing resources for prospective students and practicing social workers. The website will include a blog, a list of employers seeking social workers, and a logo being developed for the consortium. The executive committee will review a soft launch of the website once it’s ready, with a brief period for feedback before finalizing the design.
Social Work Website Launch Plan
The group discussed plans for a website launch, targeting late October, which will provide resources for both new students and practicing social workers. They agreed to include a clear timeline for the social work licensure process, with Jen Panhorst and colleagues offering to provide the detailed information from the licensing board. The website will have two distinct sections – one for new perspectives and another for current practitioners, with plans to include blog content from committee members and guest bloggers. Eli volunteered to help with digital accessibility, while Jen offered to assist with the licensing information.
Supervision Funding and Endowment Challenges
The group discussed two main topics: supervision funding and social work endowments. Regarding supervision funding, Reba from Falling Colors clarified that they manage the financial aspects but don’t make decisions about funding allocation, which remains with the state agency. Eleanor agreed to schedule a meeting with Secretary Rodriguez to get clarification on the funding distribution. The discussion about social work endowments revealed significant implementation challenges, with Patti explaining that institutions faced confusion about whether the funds were state or federal, leading to difficulties in investing and spending the money as intended.
Challenges in Social Work Hiring
The meeting focused on challenges in hiring faculty for social work programs in New Mexico, particularly in non-metro areas where salaries of $67,000 are not competitive. Patti emphasized that while schools have capacity, they face enrollment challenges due to lack of student interest rather than capacity issues, and requested better planning with legislators before funding decisions are made. The discussion highlighted tensions between legislative expectations and the reality of academic program development, with Jen noting that UNM’s social work program is on track for pre-candidacy status by fall 2026 with plans for 15-25 students in the first cohort.
Behavioral Health Workforce Development
The meeting focused on workforce challenges and opportunities in behavioral health and social work across New Mexico. Claire shared updates from the New Mexico crisis and access line, highlighting ongoing hiring efforts and initiatives to support staff resiliency. Anna highlighted staffing needs at Taos Pueblo, while Tasia discussed recruitment at Meridian Behavioral Health and emphasized the importance of cultural awareness in working with tribal communities. Brooke presented a new behavioral health initiative in schools, funded by a $5 million state allocation, which aims to build a continuum of care and develop a behavioral health workforce pipeline. The group also discussed disability awareness efforts and the importance of social emotional learning in schools.
Information from the chat
There was an active chat during the meeting. Here are some highlights with links.
Patti West-Okiri posted August Agenda, Revised July Minutes, DRAFT REVISED v3Consortium Bylaws and the CURRENT Social Work ConsortiumBYLAWS 2ndDRAFT-061224.
Also From Patti West-Okiri to Everyone:
Article VII: Accessibility and Accommodations
Section 1: Commitment
The Consortium is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are able to participate meaningfully in meetings and activities.
Section 2: Accommodations
Reasonable accommodations shall be provided upon request to allow full access to meetings, materials, and participation in Consortium activities.
Section 3: Notification
Members are encouraged to notify the Chairperson or Secretary in advance of a meeting if accommodations are needed.
10:23:43 From Anna Nelson to Everyone:
Health and Community Services, we are currently accepting applications for several key direct service and executive positions that span entry to senior level capacities:
Protective Services Worker https://taospueblo.org/protective-services-worker/
Social Services Manager https://taospueblo.org/social-services-manager/
Behavior Health Counselor https://taospueblo.org/behavioral-health-counselor/
Family Services Director https://taospueblo.org/family-services-director/
Health and Community Services Division Director https://taospueblo.org/health-community-director/
Regarding our Educational Division, these positions also span experience/educational levels:
Head Start Education Coordinator: https://taospueblo.org/head-start-education-coordinator/
Early Education Director: https://taospueblo.org/early-education-director/
Education Division Director: https://taospueblo.org/education-director/
10:24:01 From Claire Carmony to Everyone:
Here is our posting! https://www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=288909&clientkey=B735464661E2EDBA10B3FA01341AE419
10:27:31 From Jerry Harrison to Everyone:
NMHR.org. There is a link there from which we can post positions that are open.
10:29:50 From Tasia Martinez to Everyone:
https://meridianbxhealthinc.com/join-our-team-1
10:34:10 From Pamela Blackwell-PKB Consulting to Everyone:
If you are an employer/have open positions at your organization have a main primary link and contact info we could include on the website, please send those to me. The link should be something that is evergreen as in if someone clicked on it they would see current job postings that are updated by your organizations. (It’s too much maintenance for a volunteer organization to update the individual postings.)
10:35:40 From Jamii Corley to Everyone:
You can contact Pam or me: jamii@swcp.com
10:37:59 From Brooke Tafoya, PED, she/her to Everyone:
I provided my personal email for membership, but if you are interested in partnering on the BH continuum within school my work email is brooke.tafoya@ped.nm.gov
10:38:15 From Eli Fresquez to Everyone: