New Mexico Kinship Caregiver Respite Care: Title III-E and ALTSD Programs

Raising a grandchild or relative's child when you're 60, 65, or 70 is physically and emotionally demanding in ways that don't get a day off. A medical appointment of your own, a weekend to rest, a few hours to handle personal business without worrying about the child — that's what respite care is. And in New Mexico, there's a federal program specifically designed to fund it for older kinship caregivers.

Title III-E: The National Family Caregiver Support Program

The Older Americans Act Title III-E provides funded support services for relative caregivers who are age 55 or older and raising a child under 18 (or caring for an adult child ages 18–59 with a severe disability). The program is administered locally through the Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) and regional Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) across New Mexico.

Biological parents are excluded — this program is specifically for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives who have taken on a parenting role.

Title III-E funds several types of support:

• Respite care — in-home care (a trained aide comes to your house) or facility-based care (the child goes to a licensed provider) so you can take a break. This is the most directly useful service for exhausted caregivers.
• Support groups — peer groups for grandparents and relatives raising children, often coordinated through local AAAs or community partners.
• Caregiver training — workshops on child development, behavior management, navigating school systems, and managing the stress of kinship caregiving.
• Limited material vouchers — some AAAs can provide vouchers for clothing, school supplies, or other necessities for the child.

Title III-E does not provide ongoing monthly cash payments. It's a service program, not an income program. For monthly cash assistance, the NMW child-only grant is the primary source.

How to Access Respite Services

Contact your regional Area Agency on Aging to find out what's available in your county. New Mexico has multiple AAAs covering different geographic regions, and the specific respite options — hours available, provider types, scheduling — vary by region and funding cycle.

You can find your local AAA through ALTSD's website or by calling the Aging and Disability Resource Center at 1-800-432-2080. The intake process typically involves a brief assessment of your caregiving situation, the child's age and needs, and your support network.

If you're in one of the five designated pilot counties, including Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Doña Ana, the CYFD Kinship Caregiver Support Pilot Program offers additional support including a dedicated navigator and monthly economic stipend. It is capped at 50 families per county and 250 statewide. The pilot serves informal kinship caregivers (no CYFD foster care placement required) and does not require foster care licensing.

Who Qualifies

The age requirement is firm — you must be 55 or older. But the relationship requirement is broader than many caregivers expect. You qualify if you are:

• A grandparent raising a grandchild
• An aunt, uncle, or other relative by blood, marriage, or adoption raising a child under 18
• A relative caring for an adult child (18–59) with a severe disability

You do not need a court order, guardianship, or any formal legal arrangement. Informal kinship caregivers — those raising a child through a family agreement without court involvement — are eligible.

Combining Respite with Other Benefits

Title III-E is a service program administered separately from the NMW child-only cash grant, SNAP, Turquoise Care Medicaid, and ECECD childcare assistance. Each program has its own eligibility rules.

For a complete picture of every program available to you as a kinship caregiver in New Mexico — cash grants, food benefits, health coverage, childcare, and the application process for each — see our Financial Help for Grandparents and Relatives Raising a Child in New Mexico guide.

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