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SANTA FE, New Mexico – The New Mexico Health Care Authority and the New Mexico Psychology Internship Consortia announce full accreditation from the American Psychology Association for their psychology internship program, dedicated to training, recruiting, and retaining behavioral health providers in rural and underserved New Mexico.
“This is a major step toward addressing New Mexico’s behavioral health provider shortage,” Kari Armijo, HCA cabinet secretary said. “By investing in our future mental health professionals, we are ensuring that more New Mexicans, no matter where they live, have access to the care they need. This accreditation solidifies New Mexico as a leader in rural behavioral health workforce development.”
The New Mexico Psychology Internship Consortia (NM-PIC) internship program is administered through the Behavioral Health Program of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) and provides hands-on training in behavioral health care tailored to the unique challenges of rural health care services. Established in 2020 with the first cohort of interns placed the following year, the program has grown to offer five full-time positions to doctoral-level students in clinical, counseling, or school psychology programs every year. And it’s seeing success: four out of seven NM-PIC graduates have remained in the state and entered professional practice in New Mexico.
This internship program is part of New Mexico’s broader strategy to strengthen behavioral health services by investing in workforce development. Additionally, New Mexico’s leadership in this effort is reflected with Barbara Damron of the University of New Mexico serving as the 2025 Chair of the WICHE Commission, the first nurse ever elected to the role.
“APA accreditation is a benchmark of excellence that ensures quality, enhances career prospects, and supports the integrity of the psychology profession,” said Todd Helvig, Director of Education and Training with the WICHE Behavioral Health Program. “Each of our psychology internship programs are locally directed by state behavioral health leadership while WICHE contributes an administrative framework. Our mutual goal is to build a professional mental health pipeline, especially for underserved and rural areas in the West.”
NM-PIC has been implemented with the following behavioral health providers across New Mexico:
The program prioritizes culturally relevant and responsive treatment for New Mexicans of all ages, ensuring mental health care is both accessible and appropriate.
“Delivering behavioral health services in rural America looks very different from other areas,” said Meya Mongkuo, a former intern at Hidalgo Medical Services. “NM-PIC is unique in offering cultural competency focus on rural health service delivery, and it holds up to that vision.”
Originally from Florida, Mongkuo interned at Hidalgo Medical Services and chose to remain in New Mexico, where she is now completing her postdoctoral fellowship with Indian Health Services.
With APA accreditation secured, HCA and its partners are committed to expanding behavioral health services in New Mexico’s most underserved regions, ensuring that every community receives the care it deserves.
For more information about NM-PIC and how to apply, visit nm-pic.org.
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About WICHE
The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is a nonpartisan regional interstate higher education compact of 15 Western states and the U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States. Since 1953, WICHE has focused on its mission of expanding educational access and excellence for all residents of the West. By promoting innovation, cooperation, resource sharing, and sound public policy, WICHE strengthens higher education’s contributions to the region’s social, economic, and civic life. Visit www.wiche.edu.
ORIGINAL RELEASE: Rural New Mexico behavioral health internship program receives national accreditation – New Mexico Health Care Authority