OLGT 2022-05: Cross Programs: Revised COVID-19 Procedures for Disability Verification Process

On March 10, 2020, a State of Emergency was declared by Governor Baker to support the Commonwealth’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, DTA has taken the necessary steps to ensure that clients receive benefits in a timely manner and do not experience a disruption in ongoing benefits. Online Guide updates are being issued to revise procedures as appropriate.

Effective, January 14, 2022, self-declarations will no longer be accepted to verify disability for EAEDC. The new EAEDC Medical Provider Statement will be used to verify disability. Please see procedures outlined below under Case Manager guidance for instances when the form may not be needed because of a verified disability on file. EAEDC clients or EAEDC-SNAP clients who report difficulty having the new EAEDC Medical Provider Statement completed due to COVID related reasons may provide a verbal self-declaration of their disability temporarily.

The EAEDC Medical Provider Statement must now be used to verify disability for:

- EAEDC applicants,
- EAEDC clients at recertification who only have a self-declaration on

file for their disability verification,
- noncitizen EAEDC clients 65 years and over, who are ineligible for

SNAP due to the 5-year bar but who may be eligible if disabled, and - noncitizen EAEDC clients, 65 years and under who are receiving

EAEDC because of a disability.