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The following contracts were terminated because of the TANF and/or general fund budgetary constraints:

Contractor Program Aging & Long-Term Services Gold Mentor Program Mid-Region Council of Governments Transportation Services Public Education Department GRADS Program Public Education Department Pre-Kindergarten

2012. April 1, 2012, the Department promulgated regulation in NMAC to ensure that all adult and minor teen parents receiving cash assistance participate in work activities. Work activities include support and training for those with barriers to getting jobs, help in finding jobs and learning the skills to keep a job. Work activities help families succeed in becoming self- sufficient, which is one of the goals of the NMWA.

2014. The Section 4004 of the Middle-Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96) requires states receiving TANF grants to “maintain policies and practices as necessary to prevent assistance provided under the State program from being used in any electronic benefit transfer transaction in any liquor store; any casino, gambling casino, or gaming establishment; or any retail establishment which provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment”. NMAC was updated to reflect the changes to prohibit the use of EBT cards in any liquor store, any casino, gambling casino, or gaming establishment; or any retail establishment which provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment, effective April 15, 2014. Should a TANF participant report a problem with accessing TANF benefits based on the new law restriction, HSD will, on a case-by-case basis, assist them with information and assistance in getting free or low-cost access to cash assistance benefits. Posters notifying EBT card users of the change were posted in all county ISD Field offices.

TANF participants can use the EBT card at a retail, grocery store, or an ATM where you are allowed to get cash back. There is never a fee charged for using cash benefits to buy food or get cash back at a POS device at a retail or grocery store, but there is a transaction fee charge of $0.50 (plus other possible fees) for a cash withdrawal at an ATM machine. This information is given to clients upon receipt of their EBT card. This information can also be found on the HSD website. EBT cards are accepted at all FNS approved locations, this allows participants that are in rural areas adequate access to cash benefits. If there are issues with clients accessing benefits, HSD, along with our EBT vendor, will work with participants and assist them in accessing their benefits free or at a low cost.

ACA was implemented in New Mexico and replaced the JUL Medicaid previously offered to eligible TANF participants, to a MAGI Medicaid. 2015. August 2015, the Department increased the clothing allowance to a bi-annual payment and issued it in August 2015 and January 2016 in the amount of $50 per eligible school age child. The budgetary adjustment was reduced from 15% to 7.5%.

2016. August 2016, the Department increased the August clothing allowance to $100 and kept the January 2017 clothing allowance at $50 per eligible child.