First, please keep yourself and others safe by learning from trusted sources of information. Please act on all official guidelines and restrictions for the benefit of public health.
- TESTING: To pre-register for COVID testing in Valencia County, visit cvtestreg.nmhealth.org
- New Mexico COVID-19 Symptom Hotline: 1-855-600-3453
- Valencia County COVID-19 Hotline: 505-864-7743 ext. 1101
- For every other concern, call 1-833-551-0518 or go to NewMexico.gov
- Senior food hotline: 1-800-432-2080
- Insulin: If someone has an immediate need, Lilly can help them obtain an emergency supply of insulin. In the U.S., they can call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234.
- The New Mexico Crisis and Access
Line is available anytime,
anywhere at 1-855-NMCRISIS (662-7474) for immediate in the moment mental
health support.
- The New Mexico Healthcare Worker and
First Responder Support Line is available for essential workers to talk about their mental
health concerns at 1-855-507-5509 .
- If you or someone you know has been diagnosed,
is awaiting test results, or has been impacted by COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
call LLTI at 505-954-1057 to coordinate free online tele-behavioral services.
Also check out our local resource directory page for other ways to support your family during this challenging time. Always call a resource first if possible to confirm services are still operating or if any changes have been made to how services are offered.
Utilities Assistance:
What
are PNM and NMGC doing to help customers who are struggling to pay?
As a
reminder, PNM and NMGC will not disconnect service temporarily from customers
who are facing financial hardships due to COVID-19 coronavirus challenges.
Also, until further notice, PNM and NMGC will not be charging late fees if you
cannot pay on time. Additionally, PNM has suspended collection and credit
reporting for nonpayment. PNM and NMGC will provide customers with notice
before their billing/disconnection policies resume once the COVID-19
coronavirus stabilizes.
Does
this mean you need to pay your PNM and NMGC bills?
Pay
your bill in full or make a partial payment by the due date. Customers will
still need to pay for the electricity and gas they use. Think of this as relief
through payment deferment. If you are in the position to pay what you owe by
the due date, we suggest you do that. However, if you are facing financial
hardship, we ask you to pay what you can. Once things start to stabilize again,
the amount of electricity and gas you used will still be owed, so avoid a large
balance if possible by paying your bill in full or a portion that you can
afford.
What
do you do if you have large PNM and NMGC balances because of COVID-19
coronavirus impacts?
PNM
and NMGC are offering payment arrangements and low income programs to help with
your large balance and to prevent power being disconnected at your home once
the COVID-19 coronavirus stabilizes and payments resume again. This will help
ease worry about bringing your account current with just one payment and will
provide relief catching up on your bill.
Where
can you find more information?
PNM
and NMGC know that the impact of the coronavirus continues to change with each
passing day and they are taking every precaution to continue to deliver
reliable power and gas while working to protect you and their employees who are
working tirelessly to keep the lights on. We will get through this together.
Many thanks to you for staying united together and doing our best to keep
everyone healthy.
Q&A: PNM COVID Customer Relief Program
1) Q: How can I receive help paying my past-due PNM bill through this program?
A: For residential, you must be in a past due status and have accumulated a past due balance between March 2020 and the most current month. To start the application process, please call 855-364-2950 or I can transfer you over to the team that can help with this. You will be asked to provide income, household and other information to determine your eligibility.
For small business, you must be in a past due status and have accumulated a past due balance between March 2020 and the most current month, be in a rate 2a or 2b and in one of the following industries: Restaurant, retail, hospitality, leisure, entertainment. For information and to begin the application process, please visit pnm.com/help for eligibility information and to begin your application.
2) Q: Is this program available for residential customers?
A: Yes, if you are past due and income qualified.
3) Q: What do residential customers need to do to apply?
A: To qualify, you must be:
• Be income qualified with verification of household income
• Copies of IDs for all household members
• Income qualified residential customers must pay at least 25% of past due balance
• Required to enter a payment arrangement for the remaining past due balance
• No LIHEAP approval is necessary
• Only eligible with account balances past-due 31+ days starting in March 2020
• Receiving both PNM COVID Customer Relief assistance and PNM Good Neighbor Fund assistance is permitted
• PNM COVID Customer Relief is a one-time assistance program, PNM Good Neighbor Fund assistance will continue to be a yearly offering
• Credit available is between $50-$200 per income eligible residential customer
• Deadline to apply is December 31 or while funds last.
4) Q: What are the residential household income requirements?
A:
• Household size of 1 person = $2,659 monthly household income
• Household size of 2 person = $3,574 monthly household income
• Household size of 3 person = $4,525 monthly household income
• Household size of 4 person = $5,459 monthly household income
• Household size of 5 person = $6,392 monthly household income
• Household size of 6 person = $7,325 monthly household income
• Household size of 7 person = $8,259 monthly household income
• Household size of 8 person = $9,192 monthly household income
5) Q: If I already received financial assistant from the PNM Good Neighbor Fund, may I get help through this program too?
A: Yes, you may also receive a one-time assistance
6) Q: Do I have to be behind on my PNM bill to receive assistance?
A: Yes, you must have accumulated a past due balance between March 2020 and the most current month
7) Q: I own a small business; can I receive help on my past-due PNM
A: Yes, you must have accumulated a past due balance between March 2020 and the most current month and as long as you are in a 2A or 2B rate class or a non-profit and your business is in one of the following industries: Restaurant, retail, hospitality, leisure, entertainment. To find your rate class, it is located on your PNM bill, second page, at the top, in the middle.
8) Q: What do small business owners need to do to apply?
A: To qualify, you must be:
• Registered with the New Mexico Secretary of State
• Be a small business customer with 50 or fewer employees or a 501(c)3 nonprofit
• Locally owned and non-franchised in New Mexico
• Restaurant, retail, hospitality, leisure, entertainment industries required
• An active, non-residential PNM electric customer for the past 6 months
• Experiencing financial hardships due to COVID-19, with account 31+ days past due
• Small business customers must pay at least 25% of past due balance
• Required to enter a payment arrangement for the remaining past due balance
• Credit available is between $150-$200 per eligible small business customer
• Deadline to apply is December 31 or while funds last.
• Small business customers must be 2A or 2B customers. This information is located on your PNM bill on the second page toward the middle of the page. This will be verified with your application.
9) Q: Does my small business need to be behind on my PNM bill to get help?
A: Yes, you must have accumulated a past due balance between March 2020 and the most current month
10) Q: Is there a deadline to apply?
A: December 31
11) Q: Once I’m approved, how long does it take to see it reflected on my account?
A: 5-7 business days
12) Q: Where can I go for more information?
A: PNM.com/help
13) Q: How is this different from the PNM Good Neighbor Fund?
A: The PNM COVID Customer Relief Programs are a special one-time assistance and the PNM Good Neighbor Fund program is available yearly. Receiving both is permitted this year.
14) Q: How much funding is in this program for both residential and small business customers?
A: $2 million dollars
15) Q: Who is paying for this $2M program?
A: This is being paid from shareholder dollars
16) Q: If only customers who are behind on their bill are getting assistance, isn’t PNM just rewarding them for not paying while I’m working hard to keep current on my bill? This isn’t fair.
A: COVID-19 has been an unprecedented event that has negatively impacted some residential customers and businesses in our communities more than others. This program is designed to help customers and businesses most affected by the pandemic.
17) Q: Why should residential customers apply for this funding if they are on a moratorium and aren’t at risk of having their power shutoff anyway right now during the pandemic?
A: This is an opportunity for customers to bring their account current in preparation for the eventual lift of the moratorium. The new PNM COVID Customer Relief Programs are designed to deliver assistance for both residential and small business customers who are behind on their bill, need a hand up getting their account in better status, avoid an interruption of electric service down the road, and ultimately breathe a sigh of relief when they are facing a large past due balance.
Temporary Changes
Affecting Children and Families:
- Expanding child care for first
responders and health providers:
During the public health emergency, CYFD will issue full-time child
care assistance contracts to first responders and health providers who
need child care. Please call 1-833-551-0518 to connect with the
state’s child care Resource and Referral line or go to www.cyfd.org to download a child care
assistance application.
- Enabling family, friends, and
neighbors (FFN) to deliver paid child care services: During the emergency health
declaration, the state will temporarily register family, friend and
neighbor (FFN) providers who may be eligible to receive child care
assistance funding; interested parties can call 1-833-551-0518. Temporary
FFN providers will be required to complete a background check, as will all
family members over the age of 18 living in their home. Temporary FFN
providers will also be required to complete a three-hour online health and
safety training and an online CPR training.
- Expanding child care access for
families: The state
has a child care Resource and Referral line to help families find child
care (1-800-691-9067; www.NewMexicoKids.org). Families can also contact
their CYFD eligibility specialist via phone or email to let them know they
now need full-time care; our team across the state will amend the
contracts. In addition, all parents receiving child care assistance will
have their copays waived during the public health emergency.
- Protecting CYFD assistance
benefits for families: Families
who choose to keep their children home during the emergency will not lose
their CYFD benefits. If a child care center closes and families need
services, they may transfer their child care benefits to an alternative
CYFD-approved provider -- and the state will continue paying subsidies to
both providers.
- Ensuring children have access to
meals: The state
applied for and received a waiver from the USDA which will allow school
and non-school sites to provide meals (breakfast and lunch) to all
children under age 18 needing food. Meals are provided “to-go” and must be
consumed off-site, following guidelines for social distancing. New
Mexicans with questions can call 1-833-551-0518 or email .
