ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Just as washing your hands and wearing a mask is important for your health and the health of others during this pandemic, looking out for your own mental health and checking in on loved ones is equally as important. We know physical and mental health are connected, which is why the Office of School and Adolescent Health wants to ensure that they address what folks can do to stay on the path to wellness.

Shayna Klassen is a behavioral health consultant for the state of New Mexico and says that state agencies have launched a collaborative effort to address mental health in the state. “[Mental health] is a big part and it’s just healthcare. And also, access to that care is just a click or text away,” Klassen says.

The Path to Wellness Campaign is a result of that collaboration. It’s a unified campaign across state agencies to acknowledge that there are many paths to wellness and to make sure those paths are accessible. Using a data-driven approach, CYFD and HSD have expanded the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line (NMCAL) services to include a free app, allowing users to text certified peer support specialists as well as phone access to clinical support.

The NMCAL is available 24/7, every day at 855-NM-CRISIS, as well as online, and the NMConnect app.