ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Our drug epidemic has been at the forefront lately with opioid settlement funds getting approved and with the fentanyl crisis being one of the reasons listed for the New Mexico National Guard coming to Albuquerque next month.

According to the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, last year there were 729 overdose deaths statewide. It’s a big number, but that’s actually down from previous years. In 2023, New Mexico saw 948 deaths and in 2022, 997 deaths were due to overdoses. 2021 was our highest to date with 1,029 overdose deaths.

More efforts are going into getting that number lower and some of our non-profits are leading that effort. Serenity Mesa works with kids and young adults ages 14-to-21-years-old who are facing addiction. They’re one of several non-profits hoping to get some of the one-time funds form the opioid settlement.

“It shows unity against this epidemic that we’re facing, and solidarity in trying to tackle the fentanyl crisis and the drug issues that are plaguing Albuquerque and New Mexico,” said David Burke, Serenity Mesa’s director of facilities and programming.

That unity is a joint plan to tackle the fentanyl crisis in the metro. Monday, Albuquerque City Council approved a plan that breaks down how the city is going to use its portion of the opioid settlement fund. About $10 million will go towards local non-profits currently providing services. Serenity Mesa is hoping to throw its hat in the ring.

“Operational costs are really, really hard to come by, and sometimes you need those more than you need anything,” Burke said.

Burke and his wife founded Serenity Mesa almost 10 years ago, with one goal in mind.

“To save lives,” Burke said.

But as they try to carry out this mission, it’s getting harder as more and more kids become addicted to drugs.

“It is getting worse, and a lot of people will say it’s just fentanyl,” Burke said. “Fentanyl is a big part of it. You see a lot of fentanyl, but we’re seeing a lot of meth, we’re seeing a lot of cocaine, we’re seeing a lot of mixtures of drugs. If you’re a 15/16-year-old kid, how are you supposed to make it?”

Serenity Mesa provides free detox, recovery and housing services to our youth, which Burke said is not easy.

“Running a youth center … kids break a lot of stuff,” he said.

Unexpected costs can also come up.

“If you have to replace a condenser for your air conditioning, you’re looking at anywhere between $8,000 to $10,000 per unit,” Burke said. “On some of these buildings, you’re looking at more about $20,000 for a unit. And those are funds that you don’t necessarily have.”

They’re also hoping to add space to handle the growing need.

“It seems like we’re always full, and it seems like we always have a waiting list for kids,” Burke said. “And that’s the unfortunate part is sometimes we don’t have enough space, we don’t have enough beds.”

City leaders haven’t chosen which non-profits will receive the $10 million or how much they’ll each receive. But another $1.8 million is going towards Albuquerque Public Schools to help expand its Crossroad Program which helps with prevention and intervention. Burke said Crossroads is key in this fight.

“If we can start with prevention, maybe we don’t have to be here. Maybe we can stop it before it starts,” Burke continued. “If it was up to me, I’d put [it] in every school and every state. That way we can have prevention all across the board.”