children’s psychiatric drugs in new mexico medicaid: new mexico’s own three numbers
new mexico told cms three things about its children in the 2025 reporting year: 61.4 percent of children aged 1 to 11 newly prescribed an antipsychotic had psychosocial care documented first, 23rd of the 50 states that reported it; 23.4 percent of children on two or more antipsychotics got both the glucose and the cholesterol test, 38th of the 49 states that reported it; 39.9 percent of children aged 6 to 12 starting an adhd medicine were seen again inside 30 days, 42nd of the 51 states that reported it.[1]
across the whole age range, new mexico sits above the national median on psychosocial care before an antipsychotic and in the bottom quarter of the country on the 30-day adhd follow-up. same state, same year, same children.
every row new mexico sent to cms
| measure | new mexico | denominator | rank | national median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APP-CHpsychosocial care first, 1 to 11 | 61.4 | withheld | 23 of 50 | 59.2 |
| APP-CHpsychosocial care first, 12 to 17 | 64.0 | withheld | 25 of 51 | 63.8 |
| APP-CHpsychosocial care first, 1 to 17 | 63.3 | 977 | 22 of 51 | 61.4 |
| APM-CHboth blood tests, 1 to 11 | 23.4 | withheld | 38 of 49 | 29.1 |
| APM-CHboth blood tests, 12 to 17 | 30.2 | withheld | 40 of 51 | 36.3 |
| APM-CHboth blood tests, 1 to 17 | 28.0 | 2,712 | 41 of 51 | 32.9 |
| APM-CHglucose alone, 1 to 17 | 55.0 | 2,712 | 20 of 51 | 54.4 |
| APM-CHcholesterol alone, 1 to 17 | 28.7 | 2,712 | 42 of 51 | 34.8 |
| ADD-CH30-day adhd follow-up, 6 to 12 | 39.9 | 2,746 | 42 of 51 | 47.6 |
| ADD-CHnine-month adhd follow-up, 6 to 12 | 47.0 | 756 | 38 of 49 | 55.5 |
rank 1 is the highest rate. how the ranks and the withheld cells work.[1]
talking treatment before the antipsychotic
for the youngest children, aged 1 to 11, new mexico reported 61.4 percent — 2.2 points above the national median of 59.2, and 23rd of the 50 states that reported it. put the other way round, 38.6 percent of the youngest children in new mexico who were started on an antipsychotic had no psychosocial care documented before it. for adolescents aged 12 to 17 the figure was 64.0 percent. across ages 1 to 17, 63.3 percent on 977 children, 22nd of the 51 states that reported it. it reported 57.8 the year before on the same method, so this one moved 5.5 points up — the only one of the three where that comparison holds. either side of new mexico on that row: nevada at 63.8 and california at 62.7.
the two blood tests
new mexico reported that 23.4 percent of children aged 1 to 11 on two or more antipsychotic prescriptions had both tests — 38th of the 49 states that reported it, 5.7 points below the national median of 29.1. split into halves across ages 1 to 17, glucose ran 55.0 percent and cholesterol 28.7 percent, both on 2,712 children — 20th of the 51 states that reported it on glucose, 42nd of the 51 states that reported it on cholesterol. across ages 1 to 17 the both-tests rate was 28.0 percent. either side of new mexico on the both-tests row for ages 1 to 17: utah at 28.1 and mississippi at 27.5.
the 30-day visit after a new adhd prescription
39.9 percent, on 2,746 children aged 6 to 12 who were newly prescribed an adhd medicine in new mexico — 42nd of the 51 states that reported it, 7.7 points below the national median of 47.6. that leaves 60.1 percent of those children with no recorded prescriber visit in the month after the medicine started. over the nine months that follow, 47.0 percent had at least two more visits on 756 children, against a national median of 55.5 — 38th of the 49 states that reported it. either side of new mexico on the 30-day row: alabama at 40.0 and minnesota at 39.1.
what medicaid paid for in new mexico in 2024
in 2024 medicaid in new mexico paid for 87,876 hydroxyzine prescriptions, $2,099,893 worth, and 86,417 benzodiazepine prescriptions, $1,462,253 worth — 101.7 hydroxyzine prescriptions for every 100 benzodiazepine ones. 195 of the 515 hydroxyzine rows and 875 of the 1,593 benzodiazepine rows for new mexico were suppressed, so both are floors.[2] our own sums of the federal file, which has no ages, so neither is a children’s number, and no rank.
four things to ask, with new mexico’s own numbers behind them
ask which drug it is, not which class
new mexico, 2024: 87,876 hydroxyzine prescriptions and 86,417 benzodiazepine prescriptions
hydroxyzine is an antihistamine; a benzodiazepine brings dependence and withdrawal. read the name on the bottle. why they get merged.
if an antipsychotic is being started, ask what came first
new mexico: 61.4 percent of children aged 1 to 11, 23rd of the 50 states that reported it
in 38.6 percent of these cases the answer is “none yet”. ask what was tried first, and ask for it in the notes.
if your child is on an antipsychotic, get the date of the bloodwork
new mexico: 23.4 percent of children aged 1 to 11 had both tests, 38th of the 49 states that reported it
missed 76.6 percent of the time in new mexico. ask when the glucose and cholesterol test is booked, and leave with a date.
if an adhd medicine has just been started, book the 30-day visit now
new mexico: 39.9 percent, 42nd of the 51 states that reported it
this is where a dose gets checked and a wrong fit is caught, and new mexico misses it 60.1 percent of the time. book it before you leave the room.
how to read any of this
self-reported, on methods that differ by state, and process not outcome.[1] method and suppression rules; the national picture.
questions people ask
In New Mexico, how many children get therapy before they get an antipsychotic?
In the 2025 reporting year New Mexico reported 61.4 percent for children aged 1 to 11, against a national median of 59.2 percent — 23rd of the 50 states that reported it. For ages 12 to 17 it was 64.0 percent, and across ages 1 to 17 63.3 percent on 977 children.
In New Mexico, do children on antipsychotics get the blood tests?
23.4 percent of children aged 1 to 11 on two or more antipsychotic prescriptions had both tests — 38th of the 49 states that reported it, against a national median of 29.1 percent. Across ages 1 to 17: glucose 55.0 percent, cholesterol 28.7 percent, on 2,712 children.
In New Mexico, how often does the 30-day ADHD follow-up visit happen?
39.9 percent of the time, on 2,746 children aged 6 to 12 newly prescribed an ADHD medicine — 42nd of the 51 states that reported it, against a national median of 47.6 percent. The nine-month measure, two further visits, was 47.0 percent in New Mexico against a median of 55.5.
sources
- CMS Medicaid/CHIP Child Core Set, 2025 reporting year, New Mexico rows, read 2026-09-28. APP-CH psychosocial care first, 1 to 11: 61.4 (denominator not publicly reported); APP-CH psychosocial care first, 12 to 17: 64.0 (denominator not publicly reported); APP-CH psychosocial care first, 1 to 17: 63.3 on a denominator of 977; APM-CH both blood tests, 1 to 11: 23.4 (denominator not publicly reported); APM-CH both blood tests, 12 to 17: 30.2 (denominator not publicly reported); APM-CH both blood tests, 1 to 17: 28.0 on a denominator of 2,712; APM-CH glucose alone, 1 to 17: 55.0 on a denominator of 2,712; APM-CH cholesterol alone, 1 to 17: 28.7 on a denominator of 2,712; ADD-CH 30-day adhd follow-up, 6 to 12: 39.9 on a denominator of 2,746; ADD-CH nine-month adhd follow-up, 6 to 12: 47.0 on a denominator of 756. Method and ranking scope: /medicaid-children. https://data.medicaid.gov/dataset/14bc26c3-5584-4032-9175-f3a0399cb206
- CMS State Drug Utilization Data 2024, New Mexico rows, summed by product name, read 2026-09-28: hydroxyzine 87,876 prescriptions, $2,099,893, 195 of 515 rows suppressed; benzodiazepines 86,417 prescriptions, $1,462,253, 875 of 1,593 rows suppressed. Our sum, not a CMS statistic. https://data.medicaid.gov/dataset/61729e5a-7aa8-448c-8903-ba3e0cd0ea3c
all 51 states ranked · what the national numbers say
nothing here is a reason to start, stop or change a child’s medication. it is a set of questions to bring to the person who prescribes it.
adam