A Note from the Executive Director | | |
Happy Birthday to Us!! Did you know that NMASBHC was created 25 years ago! While the state's history of school-based health centers goes back 30+ years, a group of volunteers founded our organization 25 years ago this school/fiscal year! We have grown and evolved over that long history, but our mission to serve the school health field in New Mexico remains steady and strong. We hope you will join us in celebrating at the SBHC Pre-Conference to the annual Head to Toe school health conference on November 4, 2025! If you haven't already, we encourage you to register to attend (see link in article below). Some of you, as our partners, also are receiving requests to exhibit; we hope you can make it. To make sure this celebration is special, we've covering the cost of the event, holding it at Hotel Andaluz, and providing a feast of goodies for SBHCs to take home with them! If you have any questions, please reach out to us (see details in the newsletter below). We hope we'll see all of you! If you can't attend, please feel free to celebrate this milestone by supporting NMASBHC's annual fundraising raffle or by making a donation to your local SBHC!
Wishing you many birthdays to come!
Nancy Rodriguez, nancy@nmasbhc.org
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October 2025 features the SBHC team from Chaparral High School sponsored by La Clinica de Familia
Thank you for all the SBHCs who participated and submitted pictures!
Thank you to Presbyterian Health Plan for sponsoring the 2025 calendar.
If you have any questions or want to submit your team's photo for the 2026 calendar, email Sydney at sydney@nmasbhc.org
| | 2025 SBHC Directory Update & Survey | | Buy Your Raffle Tickets Today! | | | | |
Don't miss out on our annual fundraising raffle!
Get 5 tickets for $20.
This year's grand prize is a $500 Southwest Airlines gift card. Whether you're looking for a hotel stay, tickets to an Isotopes game, or a private wine class, there's a prize for everyone in this year's raffle!
You don't need to be present to win. Winners will be announced on November 6th at the Head to Toe Conference.
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New Mexico School Health ECHO sessions have returned for 2025-2026. Sessions are on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 12:00 PM MST.
October 2025 sessions:
October 14th
October 23rd
You can visit the iECHO for slides, videos, recordings and resources from past presentations.
After registering, you can view past content and get notifications for upcoming sessions.
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REGISTER NOW FOR THE SBHC PRECONFERENCE
We’re doing things a little different this year—get ready for a special SBHC Preconference that celebrates School-Based Health Centers across New Mexico and honors 25 years of NMASBHC. Join us at Hotel Andaluz on November 4, 2025 for a full day of tools, resources, and conversations designed to strengthen student-centered care. The best part? This year’s preconference is FREE for all attendees.
Secure your spot now and be part of the energy, networking, and solutions that will power school-based health care forward!
Reach out to kimberly@nmasbhc.org if you have questions.
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November 4-6, 2025
Albuquerque Convention Center
Funded by New Mexico Health's Office of School and Adolescent Health and the New Mexico Public Education Department, Safe and Healthy Schools Bureau, this conference attracts more than 500 school health and behavioral health professionals, including school nurses, counselors, social workers and administrators, as well as school-based health center staff and advisory team members. Visit the conference site to register today!
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NMASBHC is pleased to offer 5 scholarships for the Head to Toe Conference on November 5-6 in Albuquerque, NM. Don’t miss this chance to attend at no cost!
To view details and apply for a scholarship, visit:
https://forms.office.com/r/UQVuGJQhBJ
Please contact Claudia, claudia@nmasbhc.org if you have any questions.
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SBHC Fall Learning Bursts!
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Oct 2nd: Annoying bleeding on Nexplanon and other bleeding on birth control
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Oct 16th: Period products- Making sure everyone in NM has access to menstrual products
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Oct 30th: Extended learning burst: Healthy relationships in teens- Supporting the young people we serve
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Nov 13th: “My app told me I’m ovulating”- Fertility awareness-based methods
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Dec 11th: What in the TikTok- Addressing health information from the apps
Visit https://www.nmasbhc.org/our-work/events-training/ to register.
| | SBHA Fall Learning Series | | |
The School-Based Health Alliance is hosting a free, virtual learning series exploring how schools, families, and school-based health centers can work together to support happy and healthy kids. This 16-session series offers valuable insights and practical strategies to strengthen student well-being.
For more information and to register, visit the SBHA website HERE.
| | NMASBHC Youth Advisory Group | | | | |
The Youth Health Advisory Group supports youth to advance health care access for their peers, share expertise on health-related topics and give important youth voice to the field of school-based health care. Participants will engage in activities and projects that can provide critical input to the development and delivery of services, and advocate for SBHC services across the state.
If you have youth that might be interested, please encourage them to apply and complete the application. For any questions, visit our website or contact Wilma at wilma@nmasbhc.org.
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NM Lions Operation KidSight &
SBHC Partnership Opportunity
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New Mexico Lions Operation KidSight, Inc. is a 501c3 organization, working to establish and maintain a sustainable program to provide annual eye screenings and follow-up eye exams and treatment, if needed, for all young children in New Mexico. The program also is working with local and national partners to provide additional avenues to help youth and families increase access to eye exams and glasses.
NMASBHC is planning to partner with the program to increase access for students and families served by their SBHCs. If your SBHC is interested in participating in a program to provide free glasses to patients, please email Wilma at wilma@nmasbhc.org.
| | Operational Plans and Data Submission | | |
Operational Plans were due on September 30th. If there are any questions about OP Plans and Progress Reports, please contact Jamie (Jamie.Slama@doh.nm.gov).
If you have questions about NMDOH contractually required data submission, please communicate with Kristin Oreskovich at Kristin.Oreskovich@doh.nm.gov.
| | SBHCs and Education Outcomes, 2014-19 | | |
Apex has been working on a statewide study to analyze SBHC utilization and NM PED academic data. Results are available for the time period from 2014-2019. You can find this report and other past year reports on the NMASBHC website.
If you have any questions about the data, please communicate with Kristin Oreskovich at Kristin.Oreskovich@doh.nm.gov.
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The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) and Medical Assistance Division (MAD) will be launching Turquoise Claims, a new Medicaid claims management system which will go-live in December.
Turquoise Claims will replace the current Medicaid claims management system (Omnicaid) and the NM Medicaid Provider Web Portal. You will find Turquoise Claims on the YES.NM.GOV website and log in to access the Provider/PED Enrollment system.
HCA plans to schedule demonstrations in local communities. Please check the website for updated information.
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NM Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility
Determiner Training
| | If you have staff that need the training, please contact HSD at the email address below to indicate the need to register for training. Contact at HSD.PEDeterminers@hca.nm.gov or call (505) 476-7151. | | Molina Office Hours for SBHCs | | |
To strengthen support for our School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs), Molina Healthcare of New Mexico’s Population Health team is launching dedicated monthly office hours, held on the last Friday of each month through December 2025.
These sessions offer a consistent space for SBHC providers and staff to share needs, ask questions and connect with key Molina contacts.
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Value Added Benefits are additional services or benefits that Managed Care Organization (MCO) offer for their members. It is important to communicate with your MCO for these services.
The flyer has a list of some of these benefits for SBHC Youth and their families.
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BCBSNM Learn to Live -
Mental Health Support for Teens
| | Clinic Resources, Training Opportunities and Community Announcements | | School Professionals Oral Health Toolkit | | Free O-Pill for Clinics! | |
Bold Futures NM has been working on increasing access to over the counter birth control as part of the Free the Pill Coalition for many years.
As a result of this collaboration they have received their first bulk donation of OPill. They have both 1 month and 3 month packs available.
If your organization is interested in distributing OPill at no cost to patients, please email Rach Arrey (they/them) at rachel@boldfuturesnm.org.
Please include:
1) how many packs of OPill you are requesting,
2) what type (1 month or 3 month),
3) as well as your location , and
4) a sentence or two describing the communities that you serve
If you have further questions about the OPill for the students you serve please reach out to our adolescent health clinical consultant, Jen Robinson, Jen@nmasbhc.org. She is an excellent resource! Be on the lookout for a short webinar this fall going over all things OPill for SBHCs! Sign up for That Time of the Month to get updates on this training and more!
| | Reminders from Jen's Desk | | |
Sign up for the NMASBHC mid-monthly reproductive and sexual health update, That Time of the Month! Each month you will get the latest and greatest updates, trainings opportunities, and resources direct from Jen to your inbox. Sign up here!
Upcoming Virtual Trainings
October 1, 2025 - 3pm–3:30pm
NMASBHC Learning Burst: Annoying bleeding on Nexplanon and other bleeding on birth control
Register Here
October 2, 2025 - 12pm-1pm
CMP Virtual Event: Creating Safer Clinical Spaces For People Of All Immigration Statuses
Register Here
October 15, 2025 - 3pm-3:30pm
Learning Burst: Period Poverty and Programs to Help: Making Sure Everyone in NM has Access to Menstrual Products
Register Here
If you need immediate support or technical assistance regarding sexual and reproductive health care feel free to email me at Jen@nmasbhc.org.
| | Contraception Mentoring Program Trainings | | |
IUD and Nexplanon Trainings
Please email Andrea Andersen at aanderse@salud.unm.edu to get connected with registration for an IUD and Nexplanon training or to request future training in your area.
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Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Trainings for Providers and Professionals
NM-ABC trainings are all free of charge, with CME/CEUs provided. NM-ABC is a partnership between the UNM Center for Development and Disability and the NM Department of Health. NM-ABC provides training, consultation and resources related to youth mental health for providers across New Mexico.
- Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
- Autism Spectrum Disorder: Screening and Interventions
- Youth Suicide: Screening and Safety Planning
- Non-Suicidal Self Injury: Screening and Interventions
- Helping Children and Youth Cope with Loss and Grief
- Adolescent Substance Use: Screening and Interventions
- Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents
- Depressive Disorders in Children and Adolescents
- Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care with Children and Youth
- Brief Intervention Techniques with Children and Youth
- ADHD Diagnosis and Management
- SSRIs and Pediatric Patients: Best Practices
- Youth Returning Home from Inpatient and Residential Stays: Bridging the Transition
- Tips from a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist: What Healthcare Providers Need to Know
For more information or to schedule a training, please contact NM-ABC program manager Amy Glass at aeglass@salud.unm.edu
| | | Want to Exhibit at Head to Toe? | | |
The Head to Toe Conference, happening November 4–6, 2025 in Albuquerque, brings together over 600 school health professionals—including nurses, social workers, counselors and school based health center staff—from across New Mexico. Sponsorships offer a powerful way to connect with this statewide audience through exhibitor booths, logo visibility, branded giveaways, speaking opportunities, and more. A wide range of sponsorship levels are available, from exclusive activations to co-hosted opportunities.
Interested in showcasing your organization? Contact Lisa Sciorilli, Associate Director of Events, at lisa@constellationnm.com or (505) 737-5012 to learn more and secure your sponsorship.
| | October Health Awareness Activities | |
October 20th-24th is National Health Education Week
Celebrate NHEW week by promoting a better understanding of the important role health education plays in addressing public health issues. Visit the National Health Education Week website to register for their daily webinars.
Monday: Ethics of AI in Public Health Data Use and Information Sharing
Tuesday: Preparing the Next Generation of the Health Education Workforce to be Self-Directed Learners
Wednesday: What I Wish I Knew: Insights and Lessons from Transitioning Grassroots Advocacy to Nonprofit Work
Thursday: Empowering Women's Health: Redesigning Education for Accessibility and Equity
Friday: Linguistic Equity: Educating the Health Workforce on Delivery of Your Health in Your Language
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October is National Bullying Prevention Month
October is focused on bullying prevention. Learn how you can take a stand against bully with the resources below and participate in World Bullying Prevention Day on Oct. 6.
World Day of Bullying Prevention
Student Activity Kit
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
StopBullying.gov
| | | Support NMASBHC this year! | | | | |
