(NewsNation) — As millions of Americans face uncertainty during the government shutdown, one state has a new program that could help.
New Mexico is now the first U.S. state to offer free child care to all residents, regardless of household income. The program is expected to save families thousands of dollars.
The program began Nov. 1, but it has been in the works since 2019. The goal is to improve financial stability for families and educational outcomes for their children, according to New Mexico officials.
The program, which relies on both state and federal funding, was previously available to any family member or any family whose income was below 400% of the federal poverty level. Now, it’s available to everybody.
The state anticipates annual savings of $12,000 per child, which is close to the national average cost of child care. It could also provide another option for parents who have left the workforce in droves to care for their children.
More than 400,000 women left the workforce in the first half of 2025, many citing child care costs as a reason. Officials say universal child care will benefit families who may struggle to afford it.
“Just like other countries where there’s universal child care, we know that when child care is taken off the plate of all families, whether they’re working families, they’re low-income, they’re middle class, that relieves families to be able to invest in going back to school, to buying houses, to changing careers,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury told NewsNation partner The Hill.
No other state offers universal child care, though New Mexico’s program is modeled after a similar program in Washington, D.C. New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s campaign floated the idea.