VISION: All New Mexico families ​and young children are thriving​

MISSION: Optimize the health, development, education, and well-being of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers through a family-driven, equitable, community-based system of high-quality prenatal and early childhood programs and services.

Overview of ECECD Services

Child Care Services

The Child Care Services Bureau (CCSB) administers the Child Care Assistance and the Child Care Regulatory Oversight programs. The childcare assistance program helps parents/legal guardians who are working, going to school, or in a job training program with childcare expenses. The Regulatory Oversight Unit ensures that licensed childcare centers and homes and registered homes provide a quality, safe, and healthy environment for children.

New Mexico PreK
New Mexico PreK is a free program that equips three- and four-year-old children with the early literacy, math, and social-emotional skills they will need to enter Kindergarten ready to thrive. NM PreK is available in both school-based and community-based settings.

Family Infant Toddler (FIT)
All children grow and develop at their own pace. However, sometimes children have special developmental needs or health concerns that may put them at risk or cause a developmental delay. FIT provides early intervention services to children from birth to age three who have or are at risk of developmental delay—as well as their families. 

Families FIRST
Families FIRST case management services assists clients in gaining access to medical, social, and educational services that are necessary to foster positive pregnancy outcomes and promote healthy infants and children in New Mexico.

Home Visiting
New Mexico’s free home visiting program connects parents and caregivers with a friendly expert for regular, planned visits in the comfort of your home. Babies don’t come with instructions, but home visitors guide you to the answers you need to be a happy and healthy family. You can trust them for guidance on a wide range of topics including safe sleep, injury prevention, nutrition, childcare, breast feeding, and more.

Family Nutrition
The Family Nutrition Bureau administers two USDA Child Nutrition Programs: the Child and Adult Care Food Program,
which provides free meals year-round in child and adult care settings, and the Summer Food Service Program, which
partners with community organizations throughout New Mexico to feed children during summer months when public school meal programs are not in operation.

Early Head Start Collaboration Office
ECECD maintains a strong partnership with federal Early Head Start/Tribal Head Start programs through its Head Start State
Collaboration Office (HSSCO) and engagement with the New Mexico Head Start Association. ECECD facilitates partnership
between Head Start programs and the other services addressing the needs of low-income pregnant women, children, and families ensuring that efforts to meet local needs are coordinated and that limited resources are deployed efficiently in communities.

How to Apply for Services
• Step 1: Take the Am I Eligible Survey, at eligibility.ececd.state.nm.us.
• Step 2: Complete the five-minute survey to determine which programs you may qualify for.
• Step 3: Apply for services and request a referral by completing the Online Application.

How to Find Child Care
ECECD's Child Care Finder website can help your family find care that meets your unique needs. The Child Care Finder
allows parents and caregivers to search for one of the 1000+ childcare programs statewide, filtering by proximity, age of
child, quality rating, tuition, language, program type, and more. Childcare.ececd.nm.gov