New Mexico financial assistance directory
Low-Income Help and Resources in New Mexico
If household costs are hard to manage, New Mexico has programs that may help with food, housing, utilities, healthcare, child care, and other basic needs. Start with the statewide options below, then follow the local, regional, or Tribal application route when a program is handled closer to home.
Money Fit serves New Mexico residents statewide. If debt or monthly payments are also part of the problem, call 800-432-0310 or start a confidential debt review.
Where to start
New Mexico uses YES New Mexico for several public benefits, while housing, food, child care, legal, aging, and emergency resources may use separate statewide or regional systems.
Apply for food, cash, energy, or health coverage
YES New Mexico is the state application and case-management portal for SNAP, TANF cash assistance, LIHEAP, Medicaid, and related public benefits.
Find nearby help statewide
New Mexico 211 uses eight regional call centers serving all 33 counties. Community Navigators connect callers with food, housing, utilities, healthcare, child care, employment, transportation, and other local services.
Housing or rent assistance
Housing New Mexico maintains statewide affordable-housing directories and funds local rental-assistance and homelessness providers. Assistance is usually delivered by the listed local organization rather than directly by Housing New Mexico.
New Mexico programs often combine statewide applications with local delivery. YES New Mexico handles several state benefits, Housing New Mexico uses partner organizations for rental assistance, child care uses ECECD offices and its online portal, and some housing or utility resources differ by county, Pueblo, Tribe, or regional provider.
Food assistance
For ongoing grocery help, start with SNAP or WIC when the household may qualify. For food needed sooner, Roadrunner Food Bank and regional food-bank partners can help locate pantries, meal programs, and temporary distributions.
New Mexico SNAP
SNAP provides grocery benefits to eligible New Mexico households. Applications can be submitted through YES New Mexico, by mail, or through a local Health Care Authority Income Support Division office.
HCA Customer Service: 800-283-4465
New Mexico WIC
WIC provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals for eligible pregnant and postpartum participants, infants, and children under age five. Local WIC clinics complete enrollment.
Roadrunner Food Bank food finder
Roadrunner Food Bank supplies food to hundreds of partner locations across New Mexico. Its current food finder lists partner pantries and temporary distributions and lets residents search by distance and day of the week.
Food assistance: 505-349-5340 or 575-523-4390
SNAP rules changed January 1, 2026. New Mexico says some adults ages 18 through 64 must complete and report 80 hours of qualifying work or activities per month unless an exemption or geographic exception applies. Some lawfully present immigrants also lost federally funded SNAP eligibility beginning in 2026. Follow current HCA notices because exemptions and geographic exceptions matter.
Housing, rent, and utility help
New Mexico housing assistance is divided among Housing New Mexico, local public housing authorities, rental-assistance providers, homelessness organizations, HCA energy assistance, and civil legal-aid programs. Funding and waiting lists can change.
Housing New Mexico Rental Assistance Program
The Rental Assistance Program provides short- and medium-term rental assistance for eligible people who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness. Housing New Mexico does not provide RAP assistance directly. Residents apply through the partner organization serving their county.
New Mexico LIHEAP
LIHEAP helps eligible households with heating and cooling costs. Crisis assistance can receive faster handling when utility service is disconnected, a disconnect notice has been issued, or a household is nearly out of bulk fuel. Apply through YES New Mexico or a local Income Support Division office.
LIHEAP information: 800-283-4465
Housing New Mexico property directories
Housing New Mexico maintains directories and maps for affordable and subsidized rental properties. Contact the property directly to confirm openings, eligibility, rent, accessibility, and application procedures.
Housing New Mexico: 800-444-6880
Local public housing authorities
Public housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs are administered by local and regional housing authorities. Waiting-list status and application periods vary, so contact the authority serving your community directly.
HUD public housing help: 800-955-2232
Housing New Mexico homelessness providers
Housing New Mexico funds regional providers for homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, emergency shelter, and related housing services. New Mexico also uses a statewide Coordinated Entry process to connect people experiencing homelessness with appropriate resources.
New Mexico Legal Aid
New Mexico Legal Aid provides free civil legal help to eligible residents statewide. Housing services include eviction defense, subsidized-housing disputes, landlord-tenant issues, and other residential housing matters. Most of San Juan County is served by partner agency DNA People's Legal Services.
Statewide intake: 833-545-4357, Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Do not rely on old pandemic-era rental-assistance pages. Housing New Mexico's older COVID-era Housing Trust Fund rental-assistance funding is on hold. Current renters should use the Rental Assistance Program provider list, homelessness providers, local housing authorities, New Mexico 211, and legal aid rather than an old statewide COVID rental-assistance application.
Healthcare coverage and clinics
New Mexico Medicaid serves qualifying children, adults, families, pregnant people, older adults, and people with disabilities. Turquoise Care is the state's Medicaid managed-care program.
New Mexico Medicaid and Turquoise Care
Residents can apply for Medicaid through YES New Mexico. Most Medicaid services are delivered through Turquoise Care managed-care organizations, while some people receive services through other Medicaid arrangements.
HCA Customer Service: 800-283-4465
Health Care Authority assistance
HCA's Consolidated Customer Service Center supports Medicaid, SNAP, cash assistance, LIHEAP, and other agency programs. Automated assistance is available around the clock, with agents available during weekday service hours.
Customer Service: 800-283-4465
Community health centers
Federally supported health centers provide primary care and may offer dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, substance-use treatment, and other services. Health centers serve insured and uninsured patients and use sliding-fee programs based on income and family size.
New Mexico Medicaid has major federal eligibility changes beginning October 1, 2026. Some lawfully present immigrants will lose Medicaid eligibility after September 30, 2026, although New Mexico is creating a separate coverage program for some affected residents. Beginning January 1, 2027, many adults ages 19 through 64 will face work or activity requirements and six-month renewals unless an exemption applies. HCA began mailing advance notices to affected members in September 2026.
Child care, family, and cash assistance
New Mexico has made a major change to child care assistance, while TANF cash assistance continues through the Health Care Authority and New Mexico Works employment-support system.
New Mexico Universal Child Care
New Mexico began universal no-cost child care on November 1, 2025 for qualifying families who work or attend school, regardless of income. The 2026 Legislature placed the Child Care Assistance Program into state law. Families can apply online, by email, by phone, or through a local ECECD child care office.
ECECD: 800-832-1321
New Mexico Works TANF
New Mexico Works provides TANF cash assistance to qualifying families and connects work-eligible participants with employment, education, training, Career Link, and wage-subsidy opportunities. Benefit eligibility is administered through HCA, while employment services are provided through New Mexico Workforce Solutions.
Program assistance: 800-283-4465
NewMexicoKids Resource and Referral
Families can search New Mexico's child care finder by location, age, quality rating, tuition, language, and program type. A Family Specialist can also provide a customized child care referral.
Resource and Referral: 800-691-9067, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Head Start and Early Head Start
Head Start programs provide early learning, health, nutrition, and family support for eligible young children and families. Local programs handle eligibility, applications, openings, and waiting lists.
Locator help: 866-763-6481
Child care changed substantially before the 2026-27 school year. Universal Child Care began November 1, 2025, and Senate Bill 241 was signed March 10, 2026 and took effect May 20, 2026, giving the program a statutory foundation. Older income-limit and copayment information can now be outdated.
Work, legal help, and essential services
Job loss, a legal problem, or loss of affordable phone or internet service can quickly affect housing, healthcare, transportation, and the rest of the household budget.
New Mexico unemployment insurance
Eligible workers who lose employment through no fault of their own may qualify for temporary unemployment benefits. Claims can be filed online through New Mexico Jobs or by phone through the Unemployment Insurance Operations Center.
UI Operations: 877-664-6984
America's Job Center New Mexico
New Mexico Workforce Connection offices were rebranded as America's Job Center New Mexico. Centers provide job-search assistance, career planning, training information, apprenticeship resources, veterans services, and access to employment tools.
New Mexico Legal Aid
New Mexico Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to eligible low-income residents, seniors, and victims of violence. Services may include housing, public benefits, debt and consumer matters, family safety, employment, and other civil legal issues.
Statewide intake: 833-545-4357, Monday-Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Federal Lifeline benefit
Lifeline may reduce the monthly cost of qualifying phone or broadband service. Eligibility can be based on household income or participation in certain public benefit programs.
Lifeline Support Center: 800-234-9473
Older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers
New Mexico's Aging and Disability Resource Center helps older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families understand benefits and long-term services. Adult Protective Services handles reports involving vulnerable adults.
New Mexico Aging and Disability Resource Center
ADRC Options Counselors help residents understand Medicare, Medicaid, home and community-based services, transportation, caregiver support, meals, care facilities, home modifications, veteran services, and other resources.
ADRC: 800-432-2080, Monday-Friday, 7:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Mountain Time
New Mexico aging network
The Aging and Long-Term Services Department supports senior centers, congregate and home-delivered meals, caregiver services, transportation, and other community programs through New Mexico's aging network.
New Mexico Adult Protective Services
APS investigates suspected abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and exploitation involving adults age 18 and older who are unable to safeguard themselves. Emergent reports are accepted around the clock.
Statewide APS intake: 866-654-3219
Crisis, safety, and disaster resources
If someone is in immediate danger, has a life-threatening medical emergency, or cannot stay safe, call 911.
New Mexico 988 Lifeline
Call, text, or chat 988 for free, confidential, 24-hour support involving emotional distress, mental health concerns, suicidal thoughts, or alcohol and substance use. New Mexico 988 can also provide local referrals when additional support is wanted.
Call or text: 988
New Mexico domestic violence programs
CYFD maintains a statewide list of community domestic violence programs and shelters. For immediate confidential national hotline support, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Native survivors can also use the StrongHearts Native Helpline.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
StrongHearts Native Helpline: 844-762-8483
New Mexico 211
New Mexico's eight 211 call centers serve all 33 counties with free, confidential referrals. Community Navigators answer Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding major holidays, with voicemail available for follow-up when lines are busy or closed.
Call: 211
New Mexico DHSEM and federal disaster assistance
New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management coordinates state recovery and posts resident recovery information for qualifying disasters. FEMA Individual Assistance depends on a federal declaration, designated locations, eligible losses, and current application periods.
FEMA Helpline: 800-621-3362
Review the household budget and unsecured debt together
Public assistance may help with food, housing, healthcare, child care, or utilities while credit cards, medical bills, collections, personal loans, payday loans, or other unsecured debts continue affecting the household budget. Money Fit nonprofit credit counseling can help New Mexico residents review income, expenses, debts, and possible next steps.
A debt management plan may help organize eligible unsecured debts into one monthly payment to Money Fit, which then sends payments to participating creditors. It is not a new loan or debt settlement. Creditor participation, concessions, account treatment, fees, and payment changes can vary.
Money Fit does not provide cash assistance, food benefits, rent assistance, utility benefits, government benefits, or emergency grants. The counseling form below is for help reviewing debt and monthly payments.
Open the Money Fit debt review form
Share a few details so Money Fit can respond to your request. Your information stays with Money Fit and is not sent to a marketplace of lenders or debt companies.
Related Money Fit resources
These resources can help with debt, housing, financial education, and assistance in other states.
