What's new at MLS

Health Announce-Update May 13, 2021 1.      May 9, 2021 MassHealth resumes annual renewals with protections still largely in place Since March 2020, MassHealth has generally suspended all but administrative renewals. In May 2021 it is resuming annual renewals in…

A number of updates below! Be sure to register for the Greater Boston Food Bank event on Monday, 5/17.      MLRI Budget Analysis & the SNAP gap included in Senate Ways and Mean budget!   On May 11, 2021, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means released its…

EOHHS had launched an initiative to create a more coherent way for people to get behavioral health services.    This summer they are holding 8 listening sessions across the state.    The next 2 sessions are June 18 on Cape Cod & June 19 in Brockton.  More…

We are writing to ask you to reach out to low income veterans whose SNAP benefits may have been reduced or terminated because DTA incorrectly counted VA Pension monies the veteran does not receive. In addition to a host of troubling DTA "data matches" (matches involving…

We are hearing ongoing rumblings of problems getting through to DTA. One example from today from a community advocate:     "Every time I have tried to call DTA'€™s new main number or the recipient services line, I get the same message: âDue to an extremely high volume of calls,…

MassHealth and the Connector have posted the new paper application form to be used in applying for MassHealth, subsidized insurance through the Connector, CMSP and the Health Safety Net for people under age 65.  It's the ACA-3 (Oct…

USDA recently posted the state-by-state SNAP "timeliness processing" data for FFY 2013 (that's federal fiscal year for Oct 1, 2012 to Sept 31, 2013).    According to USDA, Massachusetts fell from 10th in the nation in FFY 2011 in processing SNAP applications to 39th in…

The Department of Public Health (DPH) has formally announced the WIC switch to the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system from the the more cumbersome food vouchers, This is a significant change for both WIC participants as well as retailers and should be an improvement in…

Have you heard from Massachusetts SNAP recipients about local stores/corner markets that have STOPPED accepting their EBT benefits? In the past month, we have become aware of a few stores that announced they no longer participate in EBT, and put up signs on their front doors…

We are writing to flag some issues that we have seen impacting homeless youth trying to obtain SNAP/food stamp benefits. (Many of these issues affect homeless adults and victims of domestic violence as well.) Some SNAP Coalition members and homeless youth providers have reported that homeless youth…