Yolanda Morales, PhD

Chief Behavioral Health Officer

Dr. Yolanda M Morales currently serves as the Behavioral Health Officer for First Choice Community Healthcare. She is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She completed her undergrade work at Western New Mexico University where she received a BA in Sociology and a BA in Criminal Justice. Dr. Morales then completed an MBA and a Masters in Counseling from Western New Mexico University. Finally, Dr. Morales completed a BA, MA and PhD in Nursing from the University of New Mexico College of Nursing. Dr. Morales has been in the field of behavioral health for 37 years. She worked at the University of New Mexico for 20 years in a variety of positions including the Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services, Director of Psychiatric Advance Practice Providers, and Medical Director of the Bernalillo County CARE Campus. Dr. Morales was selected as Nurse Practitioner of the year by the New Mexico Advance Practice Excellence in Nursing and awarded the Estelle H Rosenblum Dissertation Award, University of New Mexico College of Nursing. Dr Morales is honored to be part of the First-Choice team. She is particularly committed to the community health care mission of providing high quality holistic behavioral health care that is not only accessible, culturally competent, but also patient centered. Her personal interests include spending time with her five Corgi’s, collecting rocks and fossils, and traveling with her family.