ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s a new life for what used to be a problem property in southeast Albuquerque.
The city has finally opened the doors on the first-of-its-kind headquarters, dealing with homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues.
The city’s unarmed social workers with the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) Department now have a permanent home on San Mateo near Kathryn. It’s in an area that’s struggled with behavioral health issues.
“It’s a massive symbol that we are never going to give up on anywhere in our city,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.
That symbol comes in the form of 10,800 square foot building the new headquarters for the nearly three-year-old ACS Department.
“There’s nothing like this in our entire country. There is no city that has invested in 24/7, full-time response in an emergency system,” said Keller.
Along with space for the department’s social workers, who respond to calls in the field, the $13 million complex has a training area and collaborative space where the community can meet with ACS workers.
“We responded to over 75,000 calls for service – close to 80 percent of those are calls that are diverted from police,” said Walter Adams, ACS behavioral health responder.
Adams has worked with ACS since it started in October 2021. Since then, they’ve grown from 10 to 130 staff members driven by community demand.
Staff said the new space on San Mateo near Kathryn is more welcoming to the community and will allow for people to get help from right off the street.
“We have community members having the ability to walk up,” ACS Field Response Deputy Director Jodie Esquibel.
ACS said in the future it’s looking at other hubs their workers can operate out of.
“Dozens of cities have reached out; multiple cities have come to visit. Seattle actually had a massive delegation here and literally which is a great pride point for us in their announcement for their own department said they are trying to copy what Albuquerque has done,” said Keller.
The plans include a possible station at the Alvarado Transportation Center Downtown and another hub on Southwest Mesa near 98th and Rio Bravo.
The city said ACS Headquarters represents the very first, stand-alone headquarters for an alternative health response department in the country.
