New Mexicans to receive critical aid in managing home cooling costs
SANTA FE – Today, the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) selected HSD to receive a second release of grant funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which currently provides utility assistance to 30,219 lower-income households across the state.
The $2,052,645 in grant funding from HHS is part of its initiative to distribute $384 million in LIHEAP funding throughout the country. New Mexico households who have not received a LIHEAP benefit are encouraged to apply.
“We are grateful to our LIHEAP team in the Income Support Division for their work on behalf of customers and to our federal partners for providing additional funds to support lower-income New Mexico families with cooling bills over the upcoming summer months,” said Kyra Ochoa, deputy secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department.
LIHEAP assists eligible lower-income individuals and families with their heating and cooling costs. LIHEAP also contracts with the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority to assist individuals with weatherization costs to include weather stripping, windows, furnaces, water heaters, cooking stoves, caulking and insulation.
The following tribal communities are also receiving funding:
- Jicarilla Apache Tribe
- Pueblo of Jemez
- Pueblo of Laguna
- Pueblo of Nambe
- Pueblo of Zuni
- Navajo Nation
Find out if you qualify for the Low -Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at https://liheapch.acf.hhs.gov/search-tool/
New Mexicans can apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program at https://www.yes.state.nm.us/yesnm/home/index
For questions about utility assistance, call HSD at 1-800-283-4465 or visit https://www.yes.state.nm.us/.
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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 981,610 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.