SNAP/ Older Adults SMD Self Dec and MCOA Outreach Fliers; P-EBT issued for kids under 6; MLRI's 2022 SNAP Advocacy Guide!

Thank you all for joining us at Tuesday’s SNAP Coalition meeting.  We are sending on some materials shared during the meeting and in follow up.

SNAP and Older Adults - Tools you can use: 

• DTA’s SNAP Standard Medical Expense Deduction “Self-Declaration” powerpoint: 

Tnx to Lorraine Ward at DTA, attached is the powerpoint that explains that households that qualify to claim healthcare expenses can self-declare their expenses to leverage the standard $155 deduction. The medical expense deduction is limited to persons age 60+ and persons who receive certain disability-based benefits: SSI, Social Security, EAEDC (depending on severity of disability), MassHealth as disabled, etc. 

Remember: SNAP Households can self-declare the Standard Medical Expense deduction at any time (during the application, Recertification, or any time in between!) over the phone by calling the DTA Assistance Line or Senior Assistance office, or by handwriting a note and sending it to DTA through DTAConnect, mail/fax, or at a DTA office. 

• New SNAP Outreach Materials from MCOA:  

Thanks to our colleagues with the Mass Councils on Aging, we have some great resources to share with you including their wonderful flier on SNAP Maximization “One month, more than one bag” and a link to more resources on MCOA’s nutrition page HERE. .

P-EBT benefits for kids under 6 on SNAP 

Yesterday, 10/25/22 DTA issued approximately $120 per child under 6 ($30 per month) to SNAP households who were on SNAP from March to June 2022.  In Massachusetts, this is the last “mass payment” for P-EBT - for school aged kids and for kids under 6 - until DTA has a state plan approved by USDA for the 2022-2023 school year. Stay tuned on that.

For more information, visit. MAp-EBT.org TY DTA!

Reminder: 2022 MLRI SNAP Advocacy Guide is now posted!

MLRI’s SNAP Advocacy Guide covers a huge range of SNAP policy topics - from applications, recerts and reporting rules; financial rules; eligibility for students, immigrants, and other groups, and more! We are thrilled to share updated resource and hope you will find it helpful in your advocacy. Please let us know if you need information not covered in the Guide! Click here to download the PDF.