Kari Armijo

New Mexico has nearly 1,700 retailers authorized to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits, and more than 450,000 people enrolled in the program. The Secretary of the New Mexico Health Care Authority said the state is working to soften the blow of federal cuts that will reduce benefits by more than 20% and cause more than 20,000 people to lose their benefits altogether.

NM is working to soften the blow of federal SNAP changes

Daniel Montaño

Federal cuts to food assistance through the budget reconciliation bill, better known as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” put more than 450,000 New Mexicans at risk seeing their benefits drop by more than 20%, or losing their assistance altogether. But, state officials say they’ll do everything they can to fill gaps left by those federal cuts.

The New Mexico Health Care Authority has been using social media to help spread the word about new behavioral health treatment options. The number of appointments for behavioral health services has gone up by more than 3 times since 2019, but since the information is just starting to come in, the authority can't explain the effects or details of the data.

Public Health New Mexico

NM backslides in behavioral healthcare rankings despite increased access, more providers and better funding

Daniel Montaño

New Mexico’s Health Care Authority Secretary Kari Armijo presented an update on the state’s access to both physical and behavioral health care at a Legislative Finance Committee meeting in Taos on Wednesday. Despite an increase in the number of behavioral health providers and greater patient utilization, the state is seeing worse outcomes in a few areas.

The New Mexico Legislature on June 26, 2024 in Santa Fe.

Public Health New Mexico

NM’s newest agency expands second year budget by $3 billion

Daniel Montaño

In Santa Fe, state agencies galore made their case for a piece of the state’s expanding general fund this week as they presented budget requests. KUNM’s Daniel Montaño reports the state’s newest agency pitched a second year budget $3.1 billion more than its first year’s