What's new at MLS

Hello all, and happy Monday! A real quick action alert on the Cover All Kids legislation:   Please contact your legislators TODAY and ask them to co-sponsor Cover All Kids.   In July, the Cover All Kids bills had a hearing before the Joint Committee on…

Good morning - Important updates below. In general, please let us know what the households you work with are experiencing when applying for SNAP or interacting with DTA! Our next Coalition meeting is next Tuesday, 10/26 from 10-11:30. Agenda to come!   DTA updates guidance on getting…

There’s  been a lot of media since the early December  release of federal SNAP rules that impact individuals age 18 to 50 who are “able bodied without dependents” or “ABAWDs.”  What’s happening is very confusing, much like learning a new dance step…

It's time to register for MLRI's SNAP 101 Advocacy Training at Mass Continuing Legal Education in Boston on Wednesday February 5th!     In addition to the SNAP basics and important updates in SNAP land, you will receive a hot-off-the-press paperback copy…

Hello Everyone, January 1 always ushers in changes in health care coverage programs from open enrollment to annual cost of living adjustments.  Listed below are some of the Jan 1 health related changes that you may find useful to know. And let's not forget the Massachusetts minimum wage…

Today is the 6th Day of 2020 - Happy New Decade!  Hope you are all rested up from the holidays for the battles that lie ahead in SNAPland!  And remember to use the hashtag, #HandsOffSNAP     We are writing with a couple of important updates and…

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…