Human Services Department launches first phase of the one-stop shop for New Mexicans to access the state’s health and human services programs

SANTA FE- The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) on Thursday transitioned the Behavioral Health Services Division information to a newly designed website at its new home yes.nm.gov.  The new user-friendly and customer-oriented design was built based on direct feedback from HSD customers.

The new website marks the first phase of New Mexico’s Unified Portal (UP) project, which will transition websites across the state’s health and human services agencies into a one-stop shop portal for New Mexicans to learn about, apply for, and manage their health and human services benefits. 

New Mexicans will have access to a simplified, accessible, and inclusive website to apply for or renew services such as Medicaid, behavioral health, child support, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Customers will be able to access their benefit enrollment information, application assistance, and tailored referrals across New Mexico’s health and human services agencies without having to navigate multiple systems. The UP is set to be completed by March 2023.

The Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD) site features a new Get Help Now page for New Mexicans to quickly access resources for crisis support and find available behavioral health providers. The site also features information for behavioral health professionals and organizations, such as available competitive funding awards and professional development and learning opportunities. 

“We are proud to be the first site to join the new yes.nm.gov, which will soon become the cornerstone for New Mexicans to easily access all health and human services,” said Neal Bowen, PhD., Director of the HSD Behavioral Health Services Division. “The easy to locate Get Help Now Button will allow New Mexicans in crisis to quickly find help near them for mental health support in New Mexico.”

The unified portal at yes.nm.gov  will soon include a new site to replace the current website for child support customers and employers. By the end of 2022, the state’s Medicaid providers will be the next to be included. HSD customers and partners will benefit from the redesigned website, as it is being built to connect with customers and providers in the easiest and most accessible, and inclusive ways. 

When complete, New Mexico’s unified portal will become the most diverse state portal in the nation, including five NM state agencies and its programs. The UP is New Mexico’s first-of-its-kind portal for customers and providers to access the state’s health and human services benefits, resources, and information.

The five NM state agencies include:

  • Human Services Department
  • Aging and Long-Term Services Department 
  • Children Youth and Families Department
  • Department of Health
  • Early Childhood Education and Care Department

The site at yes.nm.gov was created with multilingual functionality and has the ability to be translated into Spanish, Vietnamese and simplified Chinese.

The current YES-NM website yes.state.nm.us will continue to serve HSD customers seeking to apply for or renew benefits while the new revamped site is being designed and built.

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As a division of the Human Services Department, the Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD) is the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Single State Authority for New Mexico, and it addresses needs, services, planning, monitoring and continuous quality systematically across the state.

The Human Services Department is a member of the New Mexico Behavioral Health Collaborative (Collaborative), and BHSD works directly with the Collaborative to establish policy and implement strategies to manage the behavioral health system.

Currently, HSD holds responsibility for the adult portion of the state’s behavioral health care. For children’s services, please contact the Children, Youth and Families Department.

The department wants to ensure our clients of uninterrupted access to the benefits available to them. The easiest way to do this is to make sure contact information is up-to-date on the YesNM website: www.yes.state.nm.us. Users can simply and easily update their address using the chat functionality there. Step-by-step directions on how to update your address are available here. Individuals seeking to apply for or check their SNAP benefits may apply online through www.yes.state.nm.us or by phone at 1-800-283-4465.

We talk, interpret and smile in all languages. We provide written information to our customers in both English and Spanish and interpretation services are available in 58 languages through our provider, CTS Language Link. For our hearing, and speech impaired customers, we utilize Relay New Mexico, a free 24-hour service that ensures equal communication access via the telephone to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled.

The Human Services Department provides services and benefits to 1,0062,637 New Mexicans through several programs including: the Medicaid Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Child Support Program, and several Behavioral Health Services.

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