Initiative aims to revolutionize access to housing and health services for people experiencing homelessness and housing instability 

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce that New Mexico has been selected, along with three other states, to participate in the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) Health and Housing Institute (HHI), an initiative to develop, implement, and align health and housing programs.  

Over the next two years, HHI will support state teams as they design and implement cross-agency and federal-state-local strategies to increase access to safe, affordable housing and wrap-around services and supports for people who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability.     

“Better health for New Mexicans depends on affordable, safe, and stable housing,” said Alex Castillo Smith, deputy secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department. “This initiative propels us forward, guiding our strategies and investments to ensure every New Mexican has access to housing and comprehensive services that enable them to thrive.” 

The New Mexico team will work to foster cross-agency collaboration to address health and housing priorities; integrating strategies into the state’s Medicaid program and using data to identify target populations, service needs and evaluate outcomes. Core state team includes state leadership from Medicaid, housing, behavioral health, aging, disabilities, governor’s office, public health, and corrections departments.  

To learn more about the initiative, visit https://nashp.org/policy/equity-and-social-determinants-of-health/health-and-housing/ 

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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 973,553 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.