What's new at MLS

The National Voter Registration Act requires DTA to allow SNAP and cash assistance recipients to register to vote at DTA offices or by mail.  DTA field guidance on voter registration protocol is contained in the following DTA Operations Memo:…

The invitation below is from SNAP Coalition partner Lauren Arms Ledwith and her UMass colleagues, announcing four separate information sessions around Massachusetts starting April 23th through April 30th.  These sessions are designed for community groups to learn about the federal funds…

Thanks to so many of you who attended last Thursday’s Basic Benefits Training on Immigrants and Benefits. We had close to 150 participants, just underscoring how critical this basic immigrant/benefits eligibility information continue to be for local community groups. MLRI has great resources…

The federal Department of Health and Human Services announced a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in the federal poverty level on January 26th. https://aspe.hhs.gov/2012-hhs-poverty-guidelines This COLA directly affects the SNAP 200% gross income test - the income test which applies to families…

At the recent Coalition meeting we discussed some SNAP application verifications. Members reported at the meeting, and in emails to MLRI, that "verification checklists" sometimes asking the SNAP applicants for documents that are not required at all, where the information can be…

You may recently have seen or heard about a DTA policy memo instructing staff to close benefits of SNAP households that have a long pattern (more than 90 days) of use of their EBT card for out-of-state food purchases and cannot verify their MA residence. Here's a link to the recent DTA…

We've received a number of inquiries about how to calculate SNAP benefits for households that contain a foster child or person who is being cared for under the Adult Foster Care program.**  There are special federal and state SNAP rules that allow households to EXCLUDE the foster child or foster…