New Mexico State Representative and First-Year Law Student Cristina Parajón is a Driving Force Behind the Development of the Gateway Center
February 3, 2025
Cristina Parajón, New Mexico State Representative and first-year School of Law student, has been one of the driving forces behind the creation and development of the Gateway Center in Albuquerque, which began operations in 2023. The Gateway Center serves as a comprehensive service hub for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance abuse. It brings together tenant organizations that offer a wide range of critical services, including medical and behavioral health care, social services, overnight beds, and housing assistance. In late 2024, the center expanded its offerings with the opening of the Medical Sobering Center and Medical Respite, further strengthening its ability to address the needs of vulnerable individuals.
The recent establishment of the Medical Sobering Center and the Medical Respite will play a large role in diverting individuals from emergency departments and incarceration and help connect them to permanent supportive housing. The Medical Sobering Center offers a safe, medically-supervised environment for individuals who are intoxicated, providing care and support until they are sober. The center operates 24 hours a day and has the capacity to accommodate up to 50 individuals. It is also a connection point to longer-term substance abuse treatment. The Medical Respite portion of the Gateway Center provides medical treatment and social services for individuals experiencing homelessness, who are too ill to recover from sickness or injury on the street but do not require hospital level care. The Respite Center allows patients to stay for up to 60 days while working to discharge them into supportive housing.
Representative Parajón was formerly the Gateway Center Administrator. In that position, she played a pivotal role in conceptualizing the Gateway Center by dedicating substantial time to partner with community members experiencing homelessness to design a safe, trauma-informed, and medically-supported environment. Now, as State Representative for House District 25, Representative Parajón is focused on advocating for additional funding and legislative support to expand the Gateway Center and similar resources to further support vulnerable populations in New Mexico.
Representative Parajón shares, “Hundreds of hands have played a role in forming what the Gateway Center is today – from Healthcare for the Homeless, to Heading Home, to the Mayor and our City Council, the construction workers who sacrificed and worked overtime to get the building up and running, and the City workers who did their jobs with integrity and passion, serving our most vulnerable people. During this legislative session, I will continue advocating for housing and dignified, quality treatment services.”
Learn more about the Gateway Center here.
