Psychologist Degrees in New Mexico - NM

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: February, 5 2010

Individuals considering a psychology degree in New Mexico will find it interesting to note that in a 2007 report by Mental Health America, New Mexico ranked third lowest for suicide rates among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Also, a 2006 report by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (USDHS) put New Mexico in the second to lowest tier when states were ranked by adults who had at least one major depressive episode the year before.

However, the 2009 grading by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), gave New Mexico a “C” for its mental health system: for infrastructure, information access, services and recovery supports. While that is slightly better than the national average of a “D” grade (no state earned an “A”, but five states got “B”s), psychologists and other behavioral and mental health professionals have room for improvement in delivering psychological care to New Mexico residents.  A 2007 finding by the USDHS numbered 71,600 New Mexico residents with serious mental illness and put the Land of Enchantment in the highest tier among states for youth binge drinking (although New Mexico was in the lowest tier for binge drinking by all ages).

It is interesting to note for those considering a psychology degree in New Mexico that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cites Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces as having some of the highest concentration of psychologists in the nation.

Continuing Professional Education Requirements for Psychologists in New Mexico

To maintain your license, you must earn at least 80 Continuing Professional Education (CPEs) credits every four years. At least 20 hours (and up to all the hours) must be from workshops, classes or seminars from accredited institutions or organizations. No more than 50 hours can come from independent study programs, delivering presentations at psychological conventions or publishing scholarly work. And no more than 30 hours can be earned from attending a presentation at a psychological convention or serving on the board of a professional psychological association.

Nearly 65% of New Mexico residents are from racial or ethnic minorities. The state requires you to demonstrate to the licensing board, through earning at least eight continuing education credits, that you are sensitive to New Mexico’s cultural diversity and have awareness of cultural barriers that may hinder providing psychological care and that you have knowledge of the many cultures that inhabit the state.