New Mexico is First State in Nation to Offer Universal Child Care Date: September 8, 2025 Source: Office of the Governor - Michelle Lujan Grisham Category: Press Releases --- Overview Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) announced a historic initiative establishing New Mexico as the first state in the U.S. to provide universal child care at no cost. This program will commence on November 1, 2025. --- Key Details Universal Access: Child care will be available to all New Mexican families regardless of income, by removing income eligibility requirements from the state's child care assistance program. No Family Copayments: Family copayments remain waived, ensuring financial relief. Annual Savings: Families can save an average of $12,000 per child annually. Background: This fulfills the 2019 legislative promise when the Early Childhood Education and Care Department was created, which had previously expanded no-cost care to families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level. --- Support and Endorsements Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham: Emphasized child care's crucial role in family stability, workforce participation, and economic prosperity. Experts: Neal Halfon, UCLA professor, and Michelle Kang, NAEYC President/CEO, praised New Mexico’s data-driven, community-rooted approach as a national model for affordable, quality early childhood care. --- Benefits Enhanced financial stability and time for families. Greater ability to select high-quality child care. Equitable access to early childhood education and care. --- Initiatives to Expand Child Care Supply $12.7 million low-interest loan fund for building, expanding, and renovating child care facilities, with an additional $20 million requested for FY 2027. Focused expansion on infant/toddler care, low-income families, and children with special needs. Partnerships with employers and school districts to broaden care options. Statewide campaign to recruit licensed and registered home providers. Increased reimbursement rates for providers to reflect true care costs. --- Workforce Support Incentives for programs that pay entry-level staff at least $18/hour and offer full-day, five-day weekly care. Estimation of needing an additional 5,000 early childhood professionals to support the universal system. --- Official Statement ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky highlighted early childhood care and education as a public good that strengthens the economy, eases family financial challenges, and promotes safe, nurturing environments for children. --- Additional Resources Families and providers seeking information or wishing to access universal child care benefits can visit the ECECD Universal Child Care Resources Page: ECECD Universal Child Care Resources --- Contact Information for the Governor's Office Address: 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, Santa Fe, NM 87501 Phone: (505) 476-2200 Toll Free: (833) 520-0020 --- Related Media Video: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s press conference on this announcement can be viewed on YouTube for further insights. --- This groundbreaking policy positions New Mexico as a leader in early childhood education, demonstrating that universal child care is both feasible and beneficial for families, educators, and the state's future prosperity.