09/16/2025
🌄✨ New Mexico deserves survivor support that reflects who we are. Umoja offers a support line designed for BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ New Mexicans, with a special focus on rural communities where access is hardest to find.
📞 505-663-6663 → When you call, you reach a real person who believes you, centers your safety, and stays with you until you’re connected to care.
Our work is rooted in community wisdom and Indigenous-aligned values: respect, balance, connection, healing.
đź”— Full release below for details, data, and sources. Please share to spread the word.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — September 15, 2025
Umoja Launches Sexual-Assault Support Line Focused on BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ Survivors in Rural New Mexico
Call: 505-663-6663
Albuquerque, NM — Umoja Wellness Foundation (UWF) and Umoja Behavioral Health PC (UBH) announces a survivor-centered support line designed for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQIA+ New Mexicans, with special focus on rural communities. Callers reach trained staff who listen, safety-plan, and connect survivors and loved ones to confidential, culturally responsive care statewide—by telehealth and in person in Albuquerque.
“Many survivors don’t get help or don’t feel safe asking for it,” said Kenneth Winfrey, LCSW, RYT, CEO of UBH. “When someone calls 505-663-6663, they reach a real person who believes them, centers their safety, and stays with them until they are connected to care.”
“Our team was built with community input,” added Jay Blackwell, MA, LMHC, Director of Programs. “We value culture, language, gender identity, Two-Spirit traditions, and chosen family. We make warm connections into care that respects who each person is.”
Why this matters
Most victims do not reach formal help. In 2021, only about 1 in 10 violent victimizations led to help from a victim-service provider; for rape/sexual assault, it was roughly 1 in 7. (Office for Victims of Crime)
LGBTQ+ people face higher sexual-violence rates. CDC data show le***an (59.9%) and bisexual (79.3%) women report higher lifetime sexual violence than heterosexual women (53.3%). Gay (59.8%) and bisexual (56.4%) men report higher rates than heterosexual men (29.3%).
Transgender people report high lifetime sexual assault. The U.S. Transgender Survey found 47% of respondents had been sexually assaulted.
Rural access is hard. New Mexico is large and spread out; many residents live far from services, and many communities face provider shortages. Telehealth can reduce travel and cost and keep people connected to care. (HRSA MCHB State Overview)
What callers can access
Through UWF/UBH’s BHSD-authorized sexual-assault services, callers can be linked to care that can be anonymous and includes:
-Individual and group therapy that is trauma-informed and gender-affirming
-Assessments, safety planning, and case management, with referrals to social, medical, and legal supports when wanted
-Crisis support by phone or in person for triage, de-escalation, and stabilization
-Healing options like mindfulness and trauma-informed yoga, offered solo or in groups
We offer care statewide by telehealth and in person in Albuquerque. Our team works to coordinate with existing programs and share options so each caller can choose the best fit.
Our approach
Our care is rooted in community wisdom and Indigenous-aligned principles—respect, balance, connection, and healing in relationship. We follow national guidance on culturally responsive and trauma-informed practice for Native and diverse communities.
How to reach us
đź“ž Call 505-663-6663 to speak with the Umoja team.
Media: kenneth@umojawellness.com | JBlackwell@umojawellness.com
About Umoja
Umoja Wellness Foundation (UWF) and Umoja Behavioral Health PC (UBH) provide survivor-centered services for sexual-assault survivors and families across New Mexico, integrating psychotherapy, crisis response, case management, community training, and healing practices that respect culture and identity.
Context in New Mexico
Half of New Mexicans live in three counties that make up only 6% of the land area. Delivering services across the rest of the state remains a challenge.
Many NM communities are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for behavioral health. Telehealth helps bridge distance and reduce travel burden. (HRSA data)
Notes for editors
Program elements summarized reflect the state-approved scope for UWF/UBH sexual-assault services (SFY26).
This release uses independent, public sources.
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