N.M. Admin. Code § 8.102.611.8 - EDUCATION WORKS ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS

A. Method of payment: Cash assistance benefits are paid by deposit of funds into an EBT account. In some circumstances benefits may be issued by warrant.

B. Authorizing payments:

(1) FA benefits are authorized, changed, and terminated through the automated benefit delivery system.

(2) Initial payments are issued on the first mailing day following authorization. In the case of EBT, the transfer of funds takes place on the first working day after the day of authorization.

C. Initiation of payment:

(1) Payment is initiated and prorated from the date of authorization or from the 30th day after the day of application, whichever is earlier.

(2) If the case was eligible in a month prior to the month of approval but is not eligible for payment in the month following the month of disposition, the benefit group is not eligible for payment in any of these months.

(3) Payments effective in the current month: Payments authorized during the month are written the night the information is entered into the computerized system and mailed the first business day following authorization. Cash assistance benefits are deposited into the EBT account the business day after payment is authorized.

(4) Payments effective in the coming month:

(a) When authorized, the payment amount remains the same from month to month until changed. Ongoing payments are written or authorized in the regular "monthly check write" process. During the monthly check write, hard copy checks are written the night before the third to the last working day of the month. They are mailed so as to arrive on the first mail delivery day of the month.

(b) EBT deposits are transmitted to the fiscal agent so that the funds are available on the first working day of the month. Payments authorized after the monthly check write are issued on the next nightly benefit write.

D. Change in amount of payment:

(1) Following approval, there is a continuing responsibility on the part of both the recipient and the caseworker to make sure that eligibility and benefit amount are correctly determined. Failure on either side to recognize and carry out this responsibility can result in overpayment to the recipient. Overpayments for any reason are charged to the recipient.

(2) A recipient's assistance grant shall be increased or decreased after receipt of information indicating that changes in a recipient's circumstances may affect the amount of assistance to which the recipient is entitled.

(3) Changes in the payment amount shall be made in accordance with changes in program policy, assistance standards, or adequacy with which need may be met.

E. Regular changes: A change in the benefit group circumstance may change the amount for which the group is eligible.

F. Other changes: If a change occurs which cannot be processed before the benefits issuance run, an overpayment or underpayment may occur. If an underpayment occurs, it shall be corrected by issuing a supplemental payment. In case of an overpayment, an overpayment claim shall be filed and appropriate efforts shall be made to recover the overpayment.

G. Whereabouts unknown: Benefits shall be terminated if the whereabouts of the recipient are unknown to the HCA for 30 days or more. A recipient's whereabouts shall be considered to be unknown if:

(1) mail sent to the recipient's last known address is returned to the HCA indicating that the recipient no longer lives at that address; or

(2) the recipient does not make any withdrawals from the recipient's EBT account for 90 days or more.

H. Recovery of unused education works program (EWP) funds: Beginning January 1, 2005, New Mexico will recover EWP funds that remain unused in EBT accounts for over 180 days.

(1) Clients will be notified of the agency's intention to close EWP cases that are not in use at 90 days.

(2) After case closure, the case head will be notified at 135 days of the HCA's intention to recover unused EWP funds that remain in inactive accounts for a period of 180 days.

(3) Each complete month of recovered funds will be removed from the 24 months limit for EWP.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 8.102.611.8

8.102.611.8 NMAC - N, 12/15/2005, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, June 25, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024