DEFINITIONS:

A. Agency review conference (ARC): means an optional conference offered by the department to households adversely affected by a department action that is normally held prior to a fair hearing. An ARC may be attended by all parties responsible for and affected by the adverse action taken by the department, including but not limited to, the ISD field office staff, the child support enforcement division (CSED), a New Mexico works (NMW) representative and the household or its authorized representative for the purpose of informally resolving the dispute. The ARC is optional and shall in no way delay or replace the fair hearing process. This subsection does not apply to appeals of adverse actions by NMHIX.

B. Authorized representative: means an individual designated by a household to represent and act on its behalf during the fair hearing process. The household must provide formal documentation authorizing the named individual(s) to access the identified case information for a specified purpose and time frame. An authorized representative may be an attorney representing a person or household, a person acting under the authority of a valid power of attorney, a guardian ad litem, or any other individual(s) designated by the household.

C. Claimant or Appellant: means the household requesting a fair hearing that is claiming to be adversely affected by an action(s) taken by the department or NMHIX.

D. Informal resolution process: means an opportunity for informal resolution between NMHIX and a household adversely affected by an NMHIX action in accordance with the requirements of 45 CFR section 155.535(a). The informal resolution process happens prior to a fair hearing. The appellant’s right to a hearing is preserved in any case in which the appellant remains dissatisfied with the outcome of the informal resolution process. If the appeal does not advance to a hearing, the informal resolution is final and binding.

[8.100.970.7 NMAC - N, 11/27/2013; A/E, 11/1/2021; A, 4/1/2022]