State Child Care Assistance Policies 2010: New Mexico

•    Income eligibility limit: In 2010, a family of three in New Mexico could qualify for child care assistance with an annual income up to $36,620 (200 percent of poverty, 82 percent of state median income).

•    Waiting list: New Mexico had 1,216 children on the waiting list for child care assistance as of February 2010. The state expected its waiting list to grow, because as of January 1, 2010, all families with incomes between 100 percent of poverty ($18,310 a year for a family of three) and the state’s income limit of 200 percent of poverty ($36,620 a year for a family of three) who apply for child care assistance are placed on the waiting list.

•    Parent copayments: In 2010, a family of three with an income at 100 percent of poverty ($18,310 a year) receiving child care assistance paid $62 per month, or 4 percent of its income in copayments. A family of three with an income at 150 percent of poverty ($27,465 a year) receiving child care assistance paid $138 per month, or 6 percent of its income in copayments.

•    Reimbursement rates: In 2010, New Mexico’s reimbursement rates for child care providers serving families receiving child care assistance were below the federally recommended level—the 75th percentile of current market rates, which is the level designed to give families access to 75 percent of the providers in their community.
o    New Mexico’s monthly reimbursement rate for center care for a four-year-old in metropolitan areas was $288, or 40 percent, below the 75th percentile of current market rates for this type of care.
o    New Mexico’s monthly reimbursement rate for center care for a one-year-old in metropolitan areas was $264, or 34 percent, below the 75th percentile of current market rates for this type of care.

•    Tiered reimbursement rates: In 2010, New Mexico paid higher reimbursement rates for higher-quality care.
o    The reimbursement rate for center care for a four-year-old in metropolitan areas at the highest quality tier was 33 percent higher than the rate at the lowest quality tier.
o    The reimbursement rate for center care for a four-year-old in metropolitan areas at the highest quality tier was still below the 75th percentile of current market rates.

•    Eligibility for parents searching for a job: In 2010, New Mexico allowed parents to continue receiving child care for up to 30 days while searching for a job.  However, New Mexico did not allow parents to qualify for child care assistance while searching for a job.¹ 

¹Only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants can qualify for child care assistance while searching for a job; they can receive child care assistance for up to 6 weeks.

Source: Karen Schulman and Helen Blank, State Child Care Assistance Policies 2010: New Federal Funds Help States Weather the Storm (Washington, DC: National Women’s Law Center, 2010). These data reflect policies as of February 2010, unless otherwise indicated.