New Mexico Register / Volume XXXV, Issue 4 / February 27, 2024

 

 

This is an amendment to 8.106.500 NMAC, Section 8 effective 3/1/2024.

 

8.106.500.8          GA - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

                A.            Limited state funds may result in a suspension or reduction in general assistance benefits without eligibility and need considered.

                B.            Need determination process:  Eligibility for the GA program based on need requires a finding that the:

                                (1)           countable resources owned by and available to the benefit group do not exceed either the $1,500 liquid or $2,000 non-liquid resource limit;

                                (2)           benefit group's countable gross earned and unearned income does not equal or exceed eighty-five percent of the federal poverty guideline for the size of the benefit group; and

                                (3)           benefit group’s countable net income does not equal or exceed the standard of need for the size of the benefit group.

                C.            GA payment determination:  The benefit group’s cash assistance payment is determined after subtracting from the standard of need the benefit group's countable income and any payment sanctions or recoupments.

                D.            Gross income test:  The total countable gross earned and unearned income of the benefit group cannot exceed eighty-five percent of the federal poverty guidelines for the size of the benefit group.

                                (1)           Income eligibility limits are revised and adjusted each year in October.

                                (2)           The gross income limit for the size of the benefit group is as follows:

                                                (a)           one person            [$963] $1,033

                                                (b)           two persons           [$1,297] $1,397

                                                (c)           three persons        [$1,632] $1,761

                                                (d)           four persons          [$1,966] $2,125

                                                (e)           five persons          [$2,300] $2,490

                                                (f)            six persons            [$2,635] $2,853

                                                (g)           seven persons       [$2,969] $3,217

                                                (h)           eight persons        [$3,303] $3,582

                                                (i)            add [$335] $365 for each additional person.

                E.            Standard of need:

                                (1)           As published monthly by the department, the standard of need is an amount provided to each GA cash assistance benefit group on a monthly basis and is based on availability of state funds, the number of individuals included in the benefit group, number of cases, number of applications processed and approved, application approval rate, number of case closures, IAR caseload number and expenditures, and number of pending applications.

                                (2)           Basic needs include food, clothing, shelter, utilities, personal requirements, and an individual benefit group member’s share of supplies.

                                (3)           Notice: The department shall issue prior public notice identifying any change(s) to the standard of need amounts for the next quarter, as discussed at 8.106.630.11 NMAC.

                F.            Net income test: The total countable earned and unearned income of the benefit group after all allowable deductions cannot equal or exceed the standard of need for the size of the GA benefit group.  After the countable net income is determined it is rounded down prior to the comparison of the household's income to the standard of need to determine the households monthly benefit amount.

                G.            Special clothing allowance for school-age dependent children: A special clothing allowance may be issued to assist in preparing a child for school, subject to the availability of state or federal funds and a specific allocation of the available funds for this allowance.

                                (1)           For purposes of determining eligibility for the clothing allowance, a child is considered to be of school age as defined by PED.

                                (2)           The clothing allowance shall be allowed for each school-age child who is included in the GA cash assistance benefit group, subject to the availability of state or federal funds.

                                (3)           The clothing allowance is not counted in determining eligibility for GA cash assistance.

                H.            Supplemental issuance: A one-time supplemental issuance may be distributed to recipients of GA for disabled adults based on the sole discretion of the secretary of the human services department and the availability of state funds.

                                (1)           The one-time supplemental issuance may be no more than the standard GA payment made during the month the GA payment was issued.

                                (2)           To be eligible to receive the one-time supplement, a GA application must be active and determined eligible no later than the last day of the month in the month the one-time supplement is issued.

                I.             Minimum Benefit Amount:  Benefits less than ten dollars ($10.00) will not be issued for the initial month or subsequent months.  ISD shall certify household beginning the month of application.

[8.106.500.8 NMAC - N, 07/01/2004; A/E, 10/01/2004; A/E, 10/01/2005; A, 7/17/2006; A/E, 10/01/2006; A/E, 10/01/2007; A, 01/01/2008; A, 06/16/2008; A/E, 10/01/2008; A, 07/01/2009; A/E, 10/01/2009; A, 10/30/2009; A, 12/01/2009; A, 01/01/2011; A, 07/29/2011; A/E, 10/01/2011; A/E, 10/01/2012; A, 07/01/2013; A/E, 10/01/2013; A/E, 10/01/2014; A, 10/01/2015; A, 10/01/2016; A/E, 10/01/2017; A, 2/01/2018; A/E, 10/01/2018; A, 3/1/2019; A/E, 10/01/2019; A, 3/1/2020 A/E, 10/01/2020; A, 3/1/2021; A/E, 10/01/2021; A, 04/01/2022; A/E, 10/01/2022; A, 04/01/2023; A/E, 10/1/2023; A, 3/1/2024]