SANTA FE – New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) on Friday announced that it is providing $35 million in immediate financial help to New Mexico hospitals for the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals across the country are bracing for a surge in patient demand by reconfiguring clinical spaces, purchasing additional medical supplies, and redistributing their health care workforce. At the same time, hospitals are facing sharply declining revenue due to lower patient utilization because of social distancing requirements and the cancellation of elective surgeries to conserve equipment and supplies. The combination of increasing costs and declining revenue is putting an urgent strain on New Mexico hospitals.