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Persons Maximum Grant Payment before August 1, 2023 Maximum Grant Payment effective August 1, 2023 1 $ 266 $327 2 $ 357 $439 3 $ 447 $549 4 $ 539 $663 5 $ 630 $775 6 $ 721 $887 7 $ 812 $999 8 $ 922 $1,134 +1 +$91 +$111 Only benefit group members are counted in determining the applicable standard of need. Total countable earned and unearned income after allowable deductions is subtracted from the benefit group’s standard of need to determine the cash assistance benefit. Clothing Allowance: Each year, for the benefit month of January and August, the payment standard is increased for each school age child included in the benefit group. The amount of the benefit is dependent on the availability and appropriation of state or federal funds. Benefits are issued via the NM EBT system.

Layette payment: A one-time layette allowance of $25 is allowed upon the birth of a child who is or will be included in the benefit group. The allowance is authorized to occur no later than the end of the month following the month in which the child is born.

Diversion payment: A diversion payment is offered to a NMW applicant benefit group who is otherwise eligible for cash assistance but chooses not to participate in the NMW Cash Assistance Program monthly in lieu of receiving a one-time lump sum payment. The diversion payment is limited to two times in an applicant’s 60-month lifetime limit. Effective November 15, 2007, the amount of the diversion payment is $1,500.00 for households of one-three and $2,500.00 for households of four or more.

The diversion payment is a lump sum payment intended to assist the benefit group to alleviate a specific short-term need, to accept a bona fide job offer, retain employment, remedy an emergency or an unexpected short-term need.

A benefit group that receives monthly cash assistance within the 12-month lockout period shall not be subject to an overpayment if the household meets good cause. The benefit group may be subject to an overpayment if the diversion payment was issued in error and subject to recoupment.

A recipient of a diversion payment is not required to comply with work program or child support enforcement requirements.

Transition Bonus Program: The 2022 New Mexico Legislature gave HCA $1.8 million dollars to reinstate the Transition Bonus Program. The state general fund would be claimed as a part of the state’s TANF Maintenance-of-Effort requirement in accordance with federal guidelines.

The purpose of this program is to encourage participants of NMW Cash Assistance to leave NMW program