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Corona Virus Resources

COVID-19 ~ Info from NM Dept. of Health

First, please keep yourself and others safe by learning from trusted sources of information. Please act on all current official guidelines and restrictions for the benefit of public health.

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.

Health Insurance Assistance:

You may have heard that the American Rescue Plan improves the affordability of coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace (bewellnm.com or healthcare.gov). The new federal law increases Premium Tax Credits for individuals and families who currently qualify and extends it to people who previously made too much to qualify. These enhanced tax credits will be in effect in 2021 and 2022. The improved assistance is available right now, but people need to take a few steps to reduce their monthly premiums.


American Rescue Plan - One Pager.pdf

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Colin Baillio

Project Manager

New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance

6200 Uptown Blvd. NE

Albuquerque, NM 87110

Work Cell: (505) 490-3178

Email: Colin.Baillio@state.nm.us

Rental and Utilities Assistance:

Rental Help New Mexico | The state of New Mexico will grant $170M of federal aid to New Mexicans for rental and utility assistance to households experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 outbreak. (renthelpnm.org)https://www.renthelpnm.org/

NM GAS CO. HELP IS AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL BUSINESS CUSTOMERS

$1.2 MILLION IN FUNDS FOR CUSTOMERS IMPACTED BY COVID-19

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico Gas Company has established $1.2 million in

COVID-19 relief funding to assist income-qualifying residential customers and small business

owners who have fallen behind on their natural gas bills because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re here to help,” New Mexico Gas Company President Ryan Shell said. “We

understand that many of our customers have been impacted by the pandemic. We want them

to know that assistance is available, and we want to do our part to help them recover.”

Residential customers can apply for help through New Mexico Gas Company’s HEAT

New Mexico program. Qualified residential customers will receive a one-time payment of $150

toward their New Mexico Gas Company bill.

Small business owners can apply online at www.nmgco.com/SmallBusiness/CovidRelief.

Those who qualify will be eligible for a one-time credit of up to $250.

For customers seeking to learn more, please go to nmgco.com or reach out to our Call

Center at 1-888-664-2726.

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 .

Behavioral Health Support:

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