N.M. Admin. Code § 8.150.410.12

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 20, October 22, 2024

Section 8.150.410.12 - INDIAN TRIBAL ELIGIBILITY

In New Mexico, an Indian tribe may choose to administer its own LIHEAP program for tribal members and request from DHHS an allocation of the state's share of the LIHEAP grant award for this purpose. An Indian tribe is defined as a legal entity of a group of Native Americans living on tribal lands with a distinct and separate government. Residents of tribal land may be eligible for tribal administered LIHEAP or HCA-administered LIHEAP under the following circumstances.

A. Tribes that administer LIHEAP: Indian tribal members living on their tribe's tribal lands, whose tribe administers their own LIHEAP program, are not eligible for HCA-administered LIHEAP benefits.

B. Tribes not administering LIHEAP: Indian tribal members living on the tribal lands of tribes not administering their own LIHEAP program may be considered for HCA-administered LIHEAP benefits providing they meet income eligibility and heating/ cooling responsibility requirements as specified in this policy.

C. Indians on other tribes' land: Households that are members of Indian tribes administering their own LIHEAP program but not living on their tribe's tribal lands, may be considered for HCA-administered LIHEAP benefits providing they meet income eligibility and heating responsibility requirements, as specified in this policy, and they did not receive LIHEAP benefits from their tribal government for the current LIHEAP season.

D. Non-Indians and non-tribal members on tribal land: Non-Indians living on tribal lands and Indians living on tribal lands who are excluded from eligibility for LIHEAP by the Indian tribe administering their own LIHEAP program may be considered for HCA-administered LIHEAP benefits providing they meet income eligibility and heating/ cooling responsibility requirements as specified in this policy.

E. At the direction of the HCA secretary, HCA may serve tribal members normally excluded due to Subsection A of 8.150.410.12 NMAC if they have not been or do not expect to be served by the tribal LIHEAP program.

N.M. Admin. Code § 8.150.410.12

7-1-95, 11-1-95, 11-15-96; 8.150.410.12 NMAC - Rn, 8 NMAC 22.LHP.410 & A, 10-10-01; A, 10-1-05; A, 10-1-06; A, 10-1-12, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVI, Issue 18, September 29, 2015, eff. 10/1/2015, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, June 25, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024