Cross Programs: UMass Summer EBT Hotline Contract Expiration

Summer EBT was established as a permanent, nationwide program by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. Massachusetts implemented Summer EBT in 2024. A Summer EBT Hotline was created to assist clients with questions regarding their Summer EBT benefits, as required by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Nutrition Services (FNS). To ease the burden on the DTA Assistance Line and in local offices, the Department established a contract with UMass to manage incoming calls to the Summer EBT Hotline. This contract expired on December 31, 2024.

Effective January 1, 2025, the Department will manage the Summer EBT Hotline. Clients who call the Summer EBT Hotline after January 1, 2025 will hear a recording that will address many common questions about Summer EBT benefits. If the client still chooses to speak to a worker, the call will be routed to the DTA Assistance Line.