New Mexico Behavioral Health Admin Calls for Data-Driven Decisions in Legislation

Lawmakers recently heard discussions on how leveraging data could improve the delivery of behavioral healthcare throughout New Mexico.

Falling Colors, the company that has overseen New Mexico’s behavioral healthcare system since 2017, has made significant strides in improving the efficiency of service administration. The company handles everything from paperwork and customer service to processing claims.

By the numbers, Falling Colors has been performing well. It pays providers in less than six days on average and rejects only 7% of claims, which is less than half of the national average of 12.5% for comparable managed care organizations in general healthcare.

Company officials emphasized that New Mexico lawmakers could benefit from their approach, particularly through real-time data access. Sam Wolf, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, told the Health and Human Services Committee that real-time data allows for quicker, more informed decision-making, which has helped the company bring millions of dollars back into the state agencies for reinvestment in other programs.

Jorie Koster-Hale, CEO of Falling Colors, added that data collection has been instrumental in evaluating the effectiveness of behavioral health programs in different contexts, helping to guide patients to the most appropriate care based on their needs.

Koster-Hale also stressed that behavioral health care requires flexibility, as programs often need to pivot rapidly. She suggested that lawmakers should consider designing legislation that incorporates real-time data, allowing them to make more informed decisions when drafting laws or overseeing committees.

This proposal aims to enhance the state’s behavioral health services, ensuring that programs are not only effective but also responsive to the ever-changing needs of New Mexico residents.

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