ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Bernalillo County Board of County Commissioners has approved a new healthcare delivery model for the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), selecting what officials call Option 3 as the preferred approach for providing medical and behavioral health services at the jail.
The proposal passed on a 4-to-1 vote during Tuesday night’s commission meeting.
Under the approved model, Bernalillo County will serve as the lead authority overseeing healthcare operations at MDC while contracting with a primary provider and a network of specialized subcontractors. Those subcontractors would provide services including medical care, behavioral health treatment, substance use services, pharmacy operations, peer support, and re-entry assistance.
County officials say the model is designed to improve accountability, transparency, and coordination of care for people housed at the detention center.
As part of the transition, the county expects to spend approximately $37 million in startup costs during fiscal year 2027. Those funds will be used for equipment purchases, facility upgrades, staffing, training, and healthcare-related infrastructure. The county will also continue paying the remaining balance of its $34.5 million contract with UNM Hospital during the transition period.
According to county officials, Bernalillo County will assume responsibility for healthcare services at MDC on July 1, 2027.
The decision follows several months of evaluation and community outreach. The county worked with consulting firm John Allen and Associates and gathered input from advisory groups, including the Addiction Treatment Advisory Board, Behavioral Health Authority Board, and Detention Facility Advisory Board, along with organizations representing people with lived experience in the correctional system.
County leaders say the transition project began in July 2026 and is intended to create a more comprehensive and accountable healthcare system within the detention center.
