Posts by Patricia Anders

A USDA study estimates that the number of eligible households for food stamps in New Mexico would increase by about 22 percent if the current asset test were eliminated. Put another way, removing the asset test could generate up to $100 million dollars of additional economic activity each year locally.

General assistance is a state-funded program that provides cash assistance to extremely poor, vulnerable New Mexicans. Beginning in February this year, the New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) began cutting these benefits through a series of administrative actions, resulting in drastic numbers of families losing their benefits.

The recent decline in the number of New Mexicans served by the safety net programs of Medicaid and General Assistance during the worst economic downturn in at least 25 years is of grave concern.