Our Department
How can you reach ACS?
- For emergencies and crises, call 911 for an ACS response.
- For non-emergencies or next-day follow-ups, call 311.
Our Mission
To provide Albuquerque with a holistic, empathetic, and informed response to behavioral and mental health-related 911 calls. Responses are personalized to the needs of the individual, family, and community so that ACS can bring the right response at the right time.
Our Vision
A city in which any person can call for help and get a purposeful, humane, and appropriate response.
Our Values
WE CARE
Well-being and safety
- Take every measure possible to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents of our City
Empathy
- Take the time to listen to others and recognize their unique experience
Community at the center
- Put community and partners at the center of all we do
Accountability
- Have the courage to learn from mistakes
Respect and dignity
- Meet people where they are, and treat them how they want to be treated
Equity
- Lift the voices of all people in our community
ACS Leadership
Director Mariela Ruiz-Angel, MBA
Mariela Ruiz-Angel is a proud Chicana, born and raised in the border city of El Paso, Texas. She understands the needs of diverse communities and works to empower, educate, and advocate for all Burqueños. Prior to her appointment as Director of ACS, Ruiz-Angel was the City Coordinator for the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA). In her new role leading the third branch of public safety, Ruiz-Angel is working to ensure that the department follows through with its mission of advocating and promoting a citywide culture that values the voices of all residents. She brings to the City of Albuquerque an extensive background in education, business development, and corporate customer relations.
Ruiz-Angel holds a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources and a Master of Social Work in Leadership and Administration.
Deputy Director Jasmine Desiderio
Jasmine Desiderio previously served as the Project Director of a Native American Youth Suicide Prevention program, where her roles included strategic action planning, policymaking, program development and evaluation, community outreach and engagement, data surveillance, grant administration and training facilitation. Desiderio brings eight years of experience in coordinating multidisciplinary, interservice and interagency teams to strategically design and implement injury prevention services ranging from crisis intervention, suicide prevention and postvention programs in northwestern New Mexico. She is currently in the Organization, Information and Learning Sciences Ph.D. program at the University of New Mexico. Her research interest focuses on applying innovative methods of human performance technology, organizational development, and evaluation research to address adversities amongst marginalized populations.
Desiderio holds a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling and Guidance from New Mexico Highlands University, and a Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Criminology from the University of New Mexico.
Deputy Director of Violence Prevention and Intervention, Jeffery Bustamante
Jeffery Bustamante is the Deputy Director of Violence Prevention and Intervention and will oversee key ACS programs such as our Violence Intervention Program and Community-Oriented Response & Assistance. Jeffery previously served as the ACS Division Manager for Organizational Growth and Community Relations. In this position, he showed his expertise by successfully streamlining our financial and grant processes. Jeffery also helped strengthen our partnerships with the community, while building new and lasting partnerships. Through his previous work, Jeffery has supported the growth of new organizations by serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange. He also served as Scheduler & Constituent Services Liaison for former United States Representative Ben Ray Luján, and held a similar role with United States Senator Jeff Bingaman.
Jeffery is completing his Ph.D. in Nursing & Health Innovation at Arizona State University. He holds a Master’s Degree in Health Innovation and a Bachelor of Political Science from the University of New Mexico.