Month: January 2020

We will add updates as we receive them to this page, memo’s and other Northampton Housing specific information will be posted as a separate article.

Have you had a change in your income? You can notify our Section 8 and Public Housing Teams to request your adjustment by clicking here.

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SNAP Update

The $300/week boost in unemployment that folks began getting today DOES NOT COUNT for SNAP.   As DTA has shared on Mass.gov here, folks do NOT need to tell DTA about this $300/week boosted Unemployment income.  This is different than in the spring (when the $600/week boost was counted).  Those who get unemployment and whose household income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level should apply for SNAP asap! 

Video on SNAP during COVID-19

Click here to view a 1 minutes and 25 second long video on DTA benefits during COVID-19 – including information about how to apply.  Click here to view the same video in Spanish. 

Produced by MLRI and the Massachusetts Websites Project, with the support of the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission.

FAQ: Extra Emergency SNAP Benefits 

These extra SNAP benefits started in March 2020 and are issued each month to households not already getting the maximum grant. Extra emergency SNAP will continue each month as long as there is a federal and state public health emergency.  

FAQ: SNAP for workers who lost hours due to COVID-19

Please see this link to a flier with more information and links to fliers in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Haitian Creole. Distribute widely. 

FAQ: Harsh SNAP time limit & work rules suspended 

Please see this flier for more information, also posted in Spanish. Distribute widely. 

DTA Local Offices: Status

DTA local offices are closed to the public and DTA staff are all working remotely. DTA urges clients and helping agencies to use DTA Connect, fax and mail to send in documents. See Mass.gov/DTA/covid-19 for more information.

To apply for SNAP:  

All applications for SNAP must be done online, by phone, or by faxing or mailing in paper application:

• • • To apply online, including from your smartphone, go to com
    • To apply by phone, call DTA at 877-382-2363. Press “6” after the introductory message to reach a worker. State you want to apply by phone. 
    • To get information about paper applications, visit gov/SNAP

For households requesting new or replacement EBT cards, requests will be taken through the automated DTA Assistance Lines, through DTAConnect.com, or directly with workers. EBT cards mailed out take about 7-10 days to arrive. If a client does not have a mailing address or for an urgent reason needs access to their benefits, contact a local office manager or the DTA Ombuds Office. At this time, DTA may not be able to issue EBT cards in a different way than the regular mail process. 

To apply for cash assistance (TAFDC or EAEDC): 

Cash assistance applications can be filed online at DTAConnect.com (click the blue “apply” banner). A case manager will need to speak with the client after the application is filed.

TAFDC or EAEDC applicants can also call their local DTA office by phone to start an application by phone for cash assistance.  Here is a link to the local DTA offices phone numbers. Applications for TAFDC or EAEDC can also be accepted by phone. 

MassHealth coverage of COVID vaccinations:

• • • • MassHealth Provider Bulletin 304 (December 2020)
      • MassHealth will cover the vaccines for members in MassHealth Standard, CommonHealth, Family Assistance, CarePlus, and the Children’s Medical Security Plan.
      • There is no cost sharing for members for the vaccines.
      • Re: MassHealth Limited, emergency services coverage for non-citizens who without status 
      • COVID-19 testing and treatment services are considered emergency services as defined in 130 CMR 450.105(F) for purposes of MassHealth Limited,
        and are payable by MassHealth to any participating provider qualified to provide such services. 
      • However, COVID-19 vaccination is not considered a
        COVID-19 testing and treatment service, and is therefore not payable by MassHealth for individuals with MassHealth Limited.

TAFDC, EAEDC, and SNAP Update:

 The following can be done via telephonic signature (done completely by phone), no paperwork back and forth is required:

• • • TAFDC and EAEDC applications
    • TAFDC and EAEDC reevaluations
    • SNAP applications
    • SNAP Recertifications (not Interim Reports

Videos on SNAP during COVID-19 –Click here to view a 1 minutes and 25 second long video on DTA benefits during COVID-19 – including information about how to apply! Click here to view the video in Spanish. 

From MassHealth Regarding the Federal Changes to Section 1557 of the ACA and the Impact on the LGBTQ Community

• • • On June 12th, the Trump Administration announced changes to its interpretation of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. These changes remove certain federal nondiscrimination in health care protections for members of the LGBTQ community, and in particular, for transgender individuals. Additionally, the change weakens federal requirements related to translation and language access. MassHealth submitted a letter in opposition to these changes on August 13, 2019 to the federal Department of Health and Human Services when they were first announced in draft form. Monday’s Supreme Court decision concluding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ individuals from employment discrimination may further impact the administration’s changes to Section 1557.
    • We want to expressly emphasize that these federal changes have not changed MassHealth’s commitment to providing all medically necessary MassHealth services to LGBTQ individuals who are MassHealth members, including transgender members. Nor do these federal changes affect our commitment to ensuring LGBTQ members can access MassHealth covered benefits free from unlawful discrimination. We want to reiterate that various other state laws and regulations, as well as MassHealth managed care contracts, continue to prohibit discrimination in health care for the LGBTQ community and require meaningful language access for MassHealth members. Plans and providers must continue to ensure compliance with these nondiscrimination requirements.

Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Update:

P-EBT provides households with an EBT card with the value of school breakfast and lunch for the days that schools are closed due to COVID-19. The benefit is available regardless of immigration status, to ALL children who would receive free or reduced-price meals.

Massachusetts state website includes clarification that “the Public Charge rule does not apply to P-EBT benefits and “using P-EBT benefits does not impact your or your child’s immigration status.” 

Update

DTA is now mailing EBT cards locally (from within Massachusetts). Previously, DTA EBT cards were issued via the EBT vendor, Conduent, from an office in Indiana – and it took 7-10 days, or longer, for a DTA EBT card to arrive in the mail. By mailing EBT cards locally, the goal is to reduce the number of days between DTA issuing the EBT card and the household receiving the card. 

DTA local offices remain closed while DTA staff work remotely. Homeless households or households without a mailing address need to designate a mailing address to receive their EBT card and PIN. This can be a shelter, a trusted family or friend able to receive the EBT card and PIN and give it to the household. 

Note: Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) cards were issued over the last week or so – but those cards are still coming from Conduent (from Indiana), so may take a couple of weeks to arrive. 

Tax Help:

Here is information and contact numbers for the Massachusetts free VITA sites for low income taxpayers: https://www.masscap.org/freetaxprep/

Message from Department of Transitional Assistance DTA, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/learn-what-you-can-do-on-the-dta-connect-mobile-app-and-website

Important Information from DTA:

TAFDC and EAEDC applications can now be filed (started) online!

As of today, cash assistance applications can be filed online at DTAConnect.com (click the blue “apply” banner). Just like with SNAP, a case manager will need to speak with the client after the application is filed. 

Please encourage families with children and very low or no income, or adults 65+ or disabled who don’t have income and have very low assets, to apply for cash assistance benefits.

 WIC: Services are being done by phone. 

A message from WIC in MA: ALL WIC Programs are able to provide all services by phone.  Again, WIC Services are being done by phone! Don’t come in, call in!  WIC participants can contact their local WIC office with any questions.  

Please refer to Mass.gov/wic or facebook.com/MassWIC  for ongoing updated information.

SNAP and Low-Income College Students 

If students move home, they should be added to their parent’s SNAP case (if they meet the student rules). As far as we are aware right now DTA’s policies and procedures regarding college student eligibility have not changed. However, on the paperwork front the CCE-1 and EDUC-1 are not required during the crisis – students can self declare that information since schools, in most cases, are not open and cannot do the paperwor

DTA is stopping all negative cash assistance case actions during the COVID-19 crisis. This means that, prospectively, no one should be terminated or reduced for any reason– including sanctions, failure to verify information, reaching the time limit, etc. DTA has not yet worked out what to do about clients whose cash assistance cases are being reduced due to a sanction or overpayment. 

Northampton MA Website for COVID-19: https://www.northamptonma.gov/2104/Coronavirus-COVID-19

Mass Department of Health Website: https://www.mass.gov/resource/information-on-the-outbreak-of-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

Health Coverage:

Do you have concerns about your MassHealth or Health Insurance? Please contact our resident services coordinators. 

Protection of MassHealth Coverage During the COVID-19 National Emergency

MassHealth will preserve coverage for all individuals who had MassHealth, Health Safety Net, or Children’s Medical Security Plan, on March 18, 2020 and for all individuals approved for coverage during the COVID-19 national emergency, and for one month after the emergency period ends. 

CDC Website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

Food Resources:  See our latest post on by clicking —> New Food Resources. 

Child  Care (Updated): Please see our recent post with the latest information we have by clicking here. 

Internet Offer: https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19

Meals for Florence Heights and Hampshire Heights: https://www.northamptonhousing.org/florence-heights-and-hampshire-heights-lunches/

Food Resources:

https://www.northamptonsurvival.org/get-help/overview/

https://www.foodbankwma.org/get-help/locate-a-local-feeding-program/

http://Massfooddelivery.com

https://crimsonandcloverfarm.com/snap-shares/

https://www.highlandvalley.org/

Who is eligible for the Economic Impact Payment?

U.S. citizens or resident aliens who:

• Have a valid Social Security number,
• Could not be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer, and
• Had adjusted gross income under certain limits

The Social Security Administration announced that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will receive automatic Economic Impact Payments directly from the Treasury Department.  Treasury anticipates these automatic payments no later than early May.

Learning at Home:

Consider a schedule:

Local Restaurants:

Know the signs:

How can you protect yourself? Watch this helpful video by clicking here.