N.M. Admin. Code § 8.102.120.10 - HANDLING BENEFIT GROUP AND RESIDENCE STATUS CHANGES

A. Change of name or payee: Whenever there is a change in a participant's name or the payee for cash assistance, the caseworker shall immediately make the appropriate changes.

(1) New caretaker:

(a) If a new caretaker assumes responsibility for a dependent child in a case, the case shall be closed and a new application processed.

(b) If the new caretaker is already payee for other dependent children, the cash assistance case of the children being transferred to the new payee shall be closed, an add-on application shall be processed, and the children added to the existing benefit group.

(2) Payee change after benefits are issued: The EBT account shall be made accessible to another family member by authorization of a new PIN under the old account.

(3) Changes in name or payee are indicated when:

(a) a payee legally changes their name and the change has been processed through the social security administration;

(b) a legal guardian is appointed or dismissed;

(c) the parent of an incompetent adult client begins to serve as natural guardian; or

(d) there is a change of payee for an NMW grant.

B. Change in benefit group composition: A request for assistance for a new benefit group member shall be treated as add-on an application. An add-on application shall be processed using the timeliness and verification standards applicable to regular applications.

C. Move to another state: If a participant advises the county office in advance of the participant's departure from the state, the participant shall be contacted to determine whether the participant intends to:

(1) be out of the state for a temporary period with a plan to return once the purpose of the visit has been accomplished; or

(2) abandon residence in New Mexico;

(3) the caseworker shall cover the following points:

(a) whether the client wishes to continue receiving assistance out-of-state during a temporary absence;

(b) whether the client intends to apply for assistance in another state;

(c) how long the participant intends to be out-of-state;

(d) the purpose of the visit;

(e) whether a place of residence in New Mexico is being maintained in the participant's absence.

(4) If it appears on the basis of this information that New Mexico residence is being abandoned, assistance shall be terminated. If absence is temporary, cash assistance shall be continued and the client must keep the HCA informed of the client's address and circumstances.

D. Illness: If a participant who is temporarily visiting outside New Mexico is unable to return to New Mexico because of illness, cash assistance may continue until such time as the participant is able to return. In this situation, the participant's inability to return to New Mexico because of illness must be verified by medical report.

E. DVR training: If plans are made in conjunction with DVR for a participant's participation in a training course in another state, cash assistance may be continued for the duration of the training course for the participant and the participant's dependents, if they accompany the participant, provided that the benefit group intends to return to New Mexico when training is completed.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 8.102.120.10

8.102.120.10 NMAC - Rp 8.102.120.10 NMAC, 7/1/2001; A, 11/15/2007, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVIII, Issue 16, August 29, 2017, eff. 9/1/2017, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, June 25, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024