Conference Program

Day 1, April 23, 2026

Subject to change

  • Ms. Boone will welcome attendees, introduce team, make housekeeping announcements, and introduce first speaker

  • Mr. Reifsteck, the NM Administrative Office of the Courts Director, will share remarks related to AOT implementation and the judiciary’s role.

  • Supreme Court Justice Vargas will identify the need for the symposium, discuss relevant statewide data, and share her vision for the conference outcome.

  • Mr. Smith will share his experience living with serious mental illness and the impact of AOT on his recovery.

  • Mr. Stettin will draw on 25 years of legislative advocacy, drafting AOT statutes and most recently reducing the impact of severe mental illness on homelessness. 

  • Ms. Johnson will outline the basic elements of an AOT program.

  • Mr. Leuschel and Ms. Pauk will provide an overview of recent legislative changes in NM and discuss how those changes will impact AOT.

  • Ms. Lukes will discuss eligibility criteria, engagement, and treatment non-adherence.

  • Mr. Stettin will review key aspects of court involvement in AOT.

     

Day 2, April 24, 2026

Subject to change

  • Dr. Rosenberg and Judge Stormer will share their perspectives on our nation’s current mental health crisis and discuss how AOT can play a role in addressing it.

  • Dr. Cloud will discuss the intersection of mental illness and criminal competency and propose solutions to the current crisis.

     

  • Ms. Johnson will walk through the building blocks to implement an AOT program.

  • Discussion of key aspects of local AOT programs.

  • Participants will wrestle with scenarios covering AOT eligibility and treatment adherence.

  • State and local leaders share views on maximizing AOT effectiveness throughout New Mexico.

  • Overview of available resources and opportunities to continue conversations about effective AOT implementation.

PRINTABLE AGENDA

Speakers

Violette Cloud, Ph.D., J.D.

Dr. Violette Cloud works at the intersection of behavioral health and law, with expertise in research, policy, training, clinical practice, and legal advocacy. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and a J.D., and is a licensed attorney in New Mexico. In 2025, she joined the NM SB3 Behavioral Health Reform Initiative Executive Committee as a behavioral health expert. Since 2021, Dr. Cloud has worked at Policy Research Associates, Inc., overseeing technical assistance projects related to best practices and cross-systems collaboration on topics like Competence to Stand Trial, Assisted Outpatient Treatment, and Crisis Response. She also facilitates Sequential Intercept Model mapping workshops.

Kenneth Paul Rosenburg, MD

Dr. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg is a psychiatrist, filmmaker, and author focused on mental health advocacy. Raised in Philadelphia and trained in New York City, his career was inspired by his sister's struggle with schizophrenia. Rosenberg has produced award-winning documentaries and books on America's mental health crisis, including "Bedlam," which highlights systemic challenges and the need for reform. His work has earned recognition such as the Peabody Award.

Eric Smith

Eric Smith’s journey with mental health is a testament to his resilience and advocacy. Born with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, he faced a crisis point where he believed he was a secret agent threatening his mother’s life. His story is one of hope and recovery, as he navigated through delusions and a lack of insight that led to a crisis. Smith’s journey has been documented in various media, including People magazine, Oprah Daily, and Yahoo! News, highlighting his role as a mental health advocate and public speaker.

Smith’s work includes consulting with families and individuals impacted by serious mental illness, and he has been involved in significant mental health events, such as the 2022 Judicial Summit on Mental Health in Texas and the first-every Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health Summit in 2023.

Brian Stettin, Esq.

Brian Stettin is senior advisor on severe mental illness for the New York City Mayor's Office, collaborating with city agencies to develop psychiatric care policies. From 2009 to 2022, he was policy director at the Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC), drafting legislation to improve civil commitment laws and expand access to mental health treatment, and supporting assisted outpatient treatment programs nationwide.

Before TAC, Stettin served as assistant New York state attorney general, drafted “Kendra's Law,” and held counsel roles in state government focused on public health and criminal justice strategies. He graduated from the City College of New York and the University of Texas School of Law.

Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer

Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer, a graduate of Davidson College and The University of Akron School of Law, has had a distinguished career as a trailblazing judicial leader in Ohio. Appointed to the Akron Municipal Court in 1990, she pioneered Ohio’s first Municipal Drug Court and Mental Health Specialty Court. Elected to the Summit County Court of Common Pleas in 2004, she introduced Summit County’s first Reentry Court for felons returning from prison. In 2012, she was elected to Summit County Probate Court, where she initiated programs such as mediation, a help desk, and the Senior Visitor and Volunteer Guardian Programs.

In 2016, Judge Stormer launched New Day Court, Ohio’s first court for individuals with severe mental illness, which has become a national model. She has received numerous awards, including the 2022 Thomas J. Moyer Award for Judicial Excellence, for her innovative contributions to judicial practices and mental health reform. Judge Stormer is also active in community service, having served on various boards and created the Curated Courthouse art initiative in partnership with the Summit County Probate Court.

Justice Julie J. Vargas

Justice Julie J. Vargas was appointed to the New Mexico Supreme Court in December 2020 by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, after serving for four years on the New Mexico Court of Appeals. While serving on the Court of Appeals, Justice Vargas was the co-chair of the Advisory Committee on the Code of Judicial Conduct.

Before joining the Court of Appeals, Justice Vargas spent 23 years in private practice representing clients in business and real estate litigation matters. During her years in private practice, she served as co-chair of the State Bar’s Ethics Advisory Committee, and was a member of both the Disciplinary Board, and the Board of Bar Commissioners. Justice Vargas is a 1990 graduate of Brown University, receiving a degree in History and English Literature. She received her J.D. from the University of New Mexico in 1993, where she was an editor of the New Mexico Law Review.