About New Mexico Bridge

NM Bridge is a New Mexico Behavioral Health Services Division initiative.

The New Mexico Bridge Project is a state-funded initiative which seeks to support hospital-based Emergency Departments across the state in establishing Medication to treat Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) programs for Opioid Use Disorder in the acute setting (ED, hospital) with a bridge to community partners to continue treatment (medication and therapy).

This project is led by experts at the University of New Mexico and Presbyterian Health System and under the guidance of New Mexico’s Behavioral Health Services, to expand access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder in the acute care setting, with a focus on hospital emergency departments.

The New Mexico Bridge Project is based on an Implementation Team which is comprised of addiction trained specialists, nursing educators, billing expertise, and grants support. Our team works collaboratively with hospital and ED leaders to establish a state-funded budget to support the project, develop an implementation plan, establish protocols, provide education (e.g., X-Waivers, stigma/harm reduction training, nursing-specific training), and support the hospital and ED leaders every step of the way. Through the NM Poison Center, we also offer 24/7 addiction medicine telephone support in which you can contact an addiction specialist with clinical or technical questions.

Contact NM Bridge: NMBridge@salud.unm.edu

Meet Our Implementation Team

Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen MD, MSc

Director Engagement and Dissemination

Eric Ketcham MD, MBA, FACEP, FASAM, FACHE

Director of Clinical Implementation; Co-Director for Statewide Infrastructure Development

Snehal Bhatt

Cindy M. Ketcham, RN, EdD, MSHE, BSN, NEA-BC, LNCC, HACP, CARN, CCHP

Director of Nursing Education

Sally Wait, BSN

Director of Community Outreach

Brandon Warrick

Brandon Warrick, MD

Director for Statewide Infrastructure Development; Co-Director of Clinical Implementation

Leslie Hayes, MD

Clinical Director of Women’s Health and Obstetrical Care

Snehal Bhatt

Snehal Bhatt, MD

Clinical Director for Behavioral Health Integration and Education

Julie Salvador, PhD

Principal Investigator; Project Director

Sergio Huerta, MD

Director of Hospitalist Education

man smiling at camera

James Cotton, MD

Co-Director of Engagement and Dissemination

Phil Seidenberg, MD

Co-Director of Engagement and Dissemination

Donald Hume, CPSW

Director of Peer Support Supervision

  NM Bridge Media & Press

 National Recognition

National Governors Association​  August 2023

“Implementing Best Practices Across the Continuum of Care to Prevent Overdose: A Roadmap for Governors” (pg.60)

Webinar Presentation

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration  June 2023

Article Publication

ACEP Now: The Official Voice of Emergency Medicine  March 2023 | Vo. 42 | No. 3

“The New Mexico Bridge Program: Implementation of medication for opioid use disorder in rural emergency departments” (pg.6-7)