RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE; CREATING THE SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO FAMILY OUTREACH CENTER; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. A new section of the New Mexico Works Act is enacted to read:

"SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO FAMILY OUTREACH CENTER.--

A. A benefit group may be referred to the southern New Mexico family outreach center by the department for either an intensive twelve week residential or day training and rehabilitation program.

B. The department shall suspend regular payments of cash assistance and food stamps to the benefit group for the twelve weeks that they reside, if referred to the residential rehabilitation program, at the southern New Mexico family outreach center. The department shall pay the southern New Mexico family outreach center each month the value of the cash assistance and food stamps that the benefit group would receive if they were not enrolled at the southern New Mexico family outreach center.

C. The department in cooperation with the children, youth and families department shall provide necessary child-care services to any benefit group enrolled at the southern New Mexico family outreach center.

D. The department in cooperation with the public transportation programs bureau of the state highway and transportation department shall provide transportation to those benefit groups that enroll in the southern New Mexico family outreach center from any part of the state.

E. The department shall coordinate with the southern New Mexico family outreach center to ensure that funding received pursuant to the federal act is spent appropriately and that all the necessary record keeping and accounting is maintained.

F. Participants who enroll at the southern New Mexico family outreach center shall not be considered inmates or patients of nonmedical institutions as provided in Paragraph (1) of Subsection A of Section 27-2B-11 NMSA 1978."

Section 2. Section 9-7-10.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1983, Chapter 156, Section 1, as amended) is amended to read:

"9-7-10.1. REHABILITATION CENTERS.--

A. There are created within the department the "northern New Mexico rehabilitation center" and the "southern New Mexico family outreach center".

B. The northern New Mexico rehabilitation center shall be at Las Vegas and shall provide the citizens of New Mexico with physical therapy, speech and hearing diagnoses and therapy and family counseling services in conjunction with such therapy and in cooperation with related programs of other governmental and nonprofit entities. Such therapy and service shall be provided without regard to eligibility for federally funded vocational rehabilitation services.

C. The southern New Mexico family outreach center shall be in Roswell and shall provide to participants as defined in the New Mexico Works Act the following services in a residential or day setting to assist in their transition into paid employment and self-sufficiency:

(1) nonmedical substance abuse treatment;

(2) pre-pregnancy planning;

(3) domestic violence counseling treatment;

(4) job training;

(5) job readiness;

(6) parenting classes;

(7) money management classes; and

(8) life skills training.

D. The southern New Mexico family outreach center shall maintain a separate program that is open to any qualified resident of New Mexico and that provides:

(1) disability evaluations;

(2) occupational therapy;

(3) physical therapy;

(4) speech and hearing diagnosis and therapy;

(5) substance abuse treatment, including detoxification;

(6) work injury rehabilitation;

(7) brain injury rehabilitation; and

(8) family counseling services in conjunction with that therapy and in cooperation with related programs of other governmental and nonprofit entities."

Section 3. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.