Research

San Rafael/Grants Oral Histories Project; Photo of the Mirabal family, one of the most prominent families in San Rafael

New Mexico Oral Histories: The Toby Michael Family; Conversations with Toby Michael

The San Rafael, San Mateo, and Grants, New Mexico Oral Histories Project focuses on residents of the northwestern region of New Mexico.  Interviews with members of these communities tell the story of the region’s transition from a ranching economy through the uranium boom to the present day tourist and service economy.  Residents also describe the role of religion in the community and the importance of Hispano traditions and food-ways in the lives of their parents and grandparents.  The data collected, which includes digital audio interviews, transcripts, videos, scanned documents, and photographs, will be archived at the Cibola County Arts Council Museum and the Double-Six Gallery, the Center for Southwest Research (Zimmerman Library, University of New Mexico), and the San Rafael Parish.  Developed by UNM Department of Anthropology Distinguished Professor Loiuse Lamphere, and Ethnology graduate students Stephanie Sanchez and Jara Carrington and Anna Cabrera, 2006-2010.

Behavioral Healthcare Reform in New Mexico: 2005-2010

It is rare that a public behavioral health service system undergoes substantial restructuring on a statewide basis.  In July 2005, the predominantly rural and ethnically diverse state of New Mexico launched a unique reform in managed behavioral health care.  This reform was intended to enhance provider workforce capacity, cultivate mechanisms for community engagement, and ensure delivery of “consumer-driven”, “recovery-oriented” care to low-income individuals.  Our study employed ethnography, surveys, and reviews of administrative databases to examine the implementation and outcomes of this precedent-setting reform.