Resources for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in New Mexico
Five separate state agencies, multiple legal aid organizations, and a handful of community nonprofits serve kinship caregivers in New Mexico. The challenge is knowing who handles what and how to reach them without spending days on hold with the wrong office.
State Agency Contacts
Health Care Authority (HCA) — Income Support Division Handles: NM Works cash grants (TANF), SNAP food assistance, Turquoise Care Medicaid eligibility, LIHEAP energy help Apply online: yes.state.nm.us Phone: 1-800-283-4465 In person: County ISD field offices statewide
Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Handles: Child welfare, foster care, kinship navigation, Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance agreements PullTogether helpline: 855-546-1212 Online hub: pulltogether.cyfd.nm.gov Emergency child safety reports: 1-855-333-SAFE (7233) or #SAFE from a cell phone
Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) Handles: Universal Child Care (no income limit or copay; grandparents raising grandchildren are exempt from the standard work or school requirement) Website: nmececd.org
Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) Handles: Title III-E respite care and caregiver support for relatives age 55+, Kinship Caregiver Support Pilot (Rio Arriba, San Juan, and Taos counties as of October 2026) General line: 1-800-432-2080 Website: aging.nm.gov
New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) Handles: WIC nutrition benefits for children under 5 Website: nmhealth.org/about/phd/fhb/wic
Free Legal Help
Pegasus Legal Services for Children Focus: Kinship guardianship legal representation and advice for grandparents and relatives raising children Phone: (505) 244-1101 Guardianship Legal Helpline: 1-833-355-6944 (Albuquerque: 505-217-1660) Call to ask about eligibility and current intake.
New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) Focus: Statewide civil legal aid — benefits appeals, guardianship petitions, housing Helpline: 1-833-545-4357
Law Access New Mexico Focus: Telephone legal advice, benefits questions, and self-help guidance for low-to-moderate income residents Phone: 1-800-346-1935
DNA People's Legal Services Focus: Civil legal aid and kinship guardianship on Navajo Nation and tribal lands Intake: 1-800-789-5870
Court Self-Help
The New Mexico Courts website provides free official forms including:
- Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit (Form 40-10B-15) — statutory school and medical consent, no court required
- Petition and Order for Kinship Guardianship (Form 4A-511) — formal court guardianship Available at: nmcourts.gov (Self-Help Center)
Bilingual forms available through the Language Access Services portal at languageaccess.nmcourts.gov.
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Community Support
CYFD PullTogether Hubs: Regional community centers connecting kinship caregivers with navigators, support groups, and crisis resources. Find your local hub at pulltogether.cyfd.nm.gov.
Southwest Family Guidance Center / Fostering Family Program: Free case management, support groups, and crisis navigation in Bernalillo, Doña Ana, and Rio Arriba counties.
Las Cumbres Community Services: Kinship caregiver support in northern New Mexico.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support groups: Several counties run peer support groups through Area Agencies on Aging and community organizations. The ALTSD helpline (1-800-432-2080) or your local PullTogether hub can direct you to the nearest group.
For Tribal Kinship Caregivers
Families within the Navajo Nation, Pueblo nations, and Apache tribes navigate dual jurisdictions — tribal courts, Indian Health Service facilities, and both tribal and state benefit systems. DNA People's Legal Services (1-800-789-5870) provides free legal help specific to tribal kinship care. The Navajo Nation kinship care program and individual Pueblo social services departments have their own intake processes alongside the state programs.
For a structured walkthrough of every program — application steps, required documents, how each benefit stacks with the others, and what to do when something gets denied — see our complete New Mexico financial help guide.
Get Your Free New Mexico Kinship Benefits Checklist
Download the New Mexico Kinship Benefits Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.