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Budget Summary FY2012

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Department of Transitional Assistance
Data Current as of:  7/11/2011





FISCAL YEAR 2012 BUDGET SUMMARY ($000)
ACCOUNT FY2012
Conference
FY2012
Vetoes
FY2012
GAA
Department of Transitional Assistance Administration and Operations 53,084 0 53,084
Food Stamp Participation Rate Programs 2,934 0 2,934
Domestic Violence Specialists 749 0 749
Caseworkers Reserve 57,536 0 57,536
Employment Services Program 7,109 0 7,109
TAFDC Grant Payments 315,981 0 315,981
Supplemental Nutritional Program 900 0 900
Teen Structured Settings Program 6,437 0 6,437
State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income 222,157 0 222,157
Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children 88,959 0 88,959
TOTAL    755,845 0 755,845

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account description amount
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE 764,756,421
4400-1000 Department of Transitional Assistance Administration and Operations
For the central administration of the department of transitional assistance; provided, that all costs associated with verifying disability for all programs of the department shall be paid from this item; provided further, that the department shall submit on a monthly basis to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the secretary of administration and finance a status report on program expenditures, savings and revenues, error rate measurements and public assistance caseloads and benefits; provided further, that the department shall collect all out-of-court settlement restitution payments; provided further, that the restitution payments shall include, but not be limited to, installment and lump sum payments; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, unless otherwise expressly provided, federal reimbursements received for the purposes of the department, including reimbursements for administrative, fringe and overhead costs, for the current fiscal year and prior fiscal years, shall be credited to the General Fund; provided further, that an application for assistance under chapter 118 of the General Laws shall be deemed an application for assistance under chapter 118E of the General Laws; provided further, that if assistance under said chapter 118 is denied, the application shall be transmitted by the department to the executive office of health and human services for a determination of eligibility under said chapter 118E; provided further, that the department shall, to the extent feasible within the appropriation provided, provide for extended office hours; provided further, that the department shall accomplish the staffing of these extended office hours to the maximum extent possible through the use of flex-time that will allow workers to modify their working hours to accommodate their specific personal and family needs; provided further, that the department shall, to the extent feasible within the appropriation provided, continue and expand the program of placing workers at community and human service organizations for the purposes of facilitating supplemental nutrition assistance program applications and redeterminations; provided further, that the department of transitional assistance shall provide the caseload forecasting office with enrollment data and any other information pertinent to caseload forecasting that is requested by the office on a monthly basis; and provided, however, that the information is provided in a manner that meets all applicable federal and state privacy and security requirements
53,084,416
4400-1001 Food Stamp Participation Rate Programs
For programs to increase the commonwealth's participation rate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program and other federal nutrition programs; provided, that funds may be expended for a grant with Project Bread -The Walk for Hunger, Inc.; provided further, that the work of department employees paid for from this item shall be restricted to processing supplemental nutrition assistance program applications; provided further, that the department shall not require supplemental nutrition assistance program applicants to provide re-verification of eligibility factors previously verified and not subject to change; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department shall require only 1 signature from supplemental nutrition assistance program applicants; provided further, that the department shall fund a unit staffed by department employees to respond to supplemental nutrition assistance program inquiries, and arrange and conduct telephone interviews for initial supplemental nutrition assistance program applications from this item; provided further, that the department shall fund a system to image and catalogue eligibility documents electronically from this item; provided further, that funds may be expended for supplemental nutrition assistance program outreach; and provided further, that the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 1, 2011 on the status of these programs
2,933,683
4400-1025 Domestic Violence Specialists
For domestic violence specialists at local area offices
748,734
4400-1100 Caseworkers Reserve
For the payroll of the department's caseworkers; provided, that only employees of bargaining unit 8 shall be paid from this item, prior appropriation continued
57,535,677
4401-1000 Employment Services Program
For employment and training services for recipients of benefits provided under the transitional aid to families with dependent children program; provided, that funds from this item may be expended on former recipients of the program for up to 1 year after termination of their benefits; provided further, that no less than $3,000,000 shall be expended for providers with whom the department entered into service agreements with in fiscal year 2011 as procured under the Competitive Integrated Employment Service program; provided further, that the young parents program shall receive no less than the amount expended in the previous fiscal year; provided further, that certain parents who have not yet reached the age of 18 years, including those who are ineligible for transitional aid to families with dependent children and who would qualify for benefits under chapter 118 of the General Laws but for the deeming of the grandparents' income shall be eligible to receive services; provided further, that no less than $50,000 shall be expended for the DTA Works internship program; provided further, that funds shall be provided for learning disability assessments through the University of Massachusetts; provided further, that funds shall be expended for transportation benefits for recipients of temporary aid to families with dependent children; provided further, that funds shall be expended for programs operated through the Massachusetts Office of Refugee and Immigrants; provided further, that the department may expend funds for vocational specialists staffed by the university of Massachusetts; and provided further, that funds may be expended for trauma informed employment services, including Project SAFE
7,109,035
4403-2000 TAFDC Grant Payments
For a program of transitional aid to families with dependent children; provided, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, benefits under the program of transitional aid to families with dependent children shall be paid only to citizens of the United States and to non-citizens for whom federal funds may be used to provide benefits; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law or any provisions of this act to the contrary, no benefit under this item shall be made available to illegal or undocumented aliens; provided further, that the need standard shall be equal to the standard in effect in fiscal year 2011 unless the department determines that a reduction in the monthly payment standard should be implemented before the end of the fiscal year to keep program expenditures within the amounts appropriated in this item; provided further, that the payment standard shall be equal to the need standard; provided further, that the payment standard for families who do not qualify for an exempt category of assistance under subsection (e) of section 110 of chapter 5 of the acts of 1995, or any successor statute, shall be 2.75 per cent below the otherwise applicable payment standard in fiscal year 2012, pursuant to the state plan required under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996; and pursuant to said act and not withstanding section 218 of chapter 149 of the acts of 2004, or any other special or general law to the contrary, the recipients defined in said section 218 whose youngest child of record is of the age at which full time schooling is mandatory or older shall meet the federal standard of 30 hours per week of work-related activity; provided further, that the department shall notify parents under the age of 20 receiving benefits from the program of the requirements found in clause (2) of subsection (i) of said section 110 of said chapter 5 of the acts of 1995, or any successor statute; provided further, that a $40 per month rent allowance shall be paid to all households incurring a rent or mortgage expense and not residing in public housing or subsidized housing; provided further, that a nonrecurring children's clothing allowance in the amount of $150 may be provided to each child eligible under this program in September 2011, to the extent feasible within appropriation; provided further, that the nonrecurring clothing allotment in fiscal year 2012 shall not be less than $40; provided further, that the children's clothing allowance shall be included in the standard of need for the month of September 2011; provided further, that benefits under this program shall not be available to those families in which a child has been removed from the household pursuant to a court order after a care and protection hearing under chapter 119 of the General Laws, nor to adult recipients otherwise eligible for transitional aid to families with dependent children but for the temporary removal of the dependent child or children from the home by the department of children and families in accordance with department procedures; provided further, that notwithstanding section 2 of chapter 118 of the General Laws, or any other general or special law to the contrary, the department shall render aid to pregnant women with no other eligible dependent children only if it has been medically verified that the child is expected to be born within the month the payments are to be made or within the 3 month period after the month of payment, and who, if the child had been born and was living with such woman in the month of payment would be categorically and financially eligible for transitional aid to families with dependent children benefits; provided further, that certain families that suffer a reduction in benefits due to a loss of earned income and participation in retrospective budgeting may receive a supplemental benefit to compensate them for the loss; provided further, that the department shall, to the extent feasible within the existing appropriation and funding from other sources, review its disability standards to determine the extent to which they reflect the current medical and vocational criteria; provided further, that the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities 90 days before any changes to the disability standards are proposed; provided further, that no funds from this item shall be expended by the department for child care or transportation services for the employment and training program; provided further, that no funds from this item shall be expended by the department for family reunification benefits or informal child care; provided further, that the department shall provide oral and written notification to all recipients of their child care benefits at the time of application and on a semi-annual basis; provided further, that the notification shall include the full range of child care options available, including center-based child care, family-based child care and in-home relative child care; provided further, that the notification shall detail available child care benefits for current and former recipients, including employment and training benefits and transitional benefits; provided further, that the notice shall further advise recipients of the availability of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits; provided further, that in promulgating, amending or rescinding its regulations with respect to eligibility for, or levels of benefits under the program, the department shall take into account the amounts available to it for expenditure by this item so as not to exceed the appropriation; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, 90 days before promulgating any eligibility or benefit changes, the commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees on ways and means and with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives a detailed and comprehensive report setting forth the text of, basis, and reasons for the proposed changes; provided further, that the report shall state exactly which components of the current benefit package shall be altered and the department's assessment of the effects of such benefit or eligibility changes upon recipient families and the number of families affected by the benefit changes; provided further, that the report shall outline all steps that the department has taken to avoid or mitigate any such benefit changes; provided further, that the report shall detail the savings realized by any such changes to benefits or eligibility; and provided further, that the report shall state the department's most accurate assessment of the probable effects of benefit or eligibility changes upon recipient families
315,980,979
4403-2007 Supplemental Nutritional Program
For a nutritional benefit program for low-income workers; provided, that benefits shall be provided only to those for whom receiving these benefits will improve the work participation rate under the federal program of temporary assistance for needy families
900,000
4403-2119 Teen Structured Settings Program
For the provision of structured settings as provided in subsection (i) of section 110 of chapter 5 of the acts of 1995, or any successor statute, for parents under the age of 20 who are receiving benefits under the transitional aid to families with dependent children program
6,436,708
4405-2000 State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income
For the state supplement to the supplemental security income program for the aged and disabled, including a program for emergency needs for supplemental security income recipients; provided, that the expenses of special grant recipients residing in rest homes, as provided in section 7A of chapter 118A of the General Laws, may be paid from this item; provided further, that the department, in collaboration with the executive office of health and human services, may fund an optional supplemental living arrangement category under the supplemental security income program that makes payments to persons living in assisted living residences certified under chapter 19D of the General Laws who meet the income and clinical eligibility criteria established by the department and the office; provided further, that the optional category of payments shall only be administered in conjunction with the Medicaid group adult foster care benefit; and provided further, that reimbursements to providers for services rendered in prior fiscal years may be expended from this item
222,156,525
4408-1000 Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children
For a program of cash assistance to certain residents of the commonwealth, entitled emergency aid to the elderly, disabled and children found by the department to be eligible for the aid under chapter 117A of the General Laws and regulations promulgated by the department and subject to the limitations of appropriation therefore; provided, that benefits under this item shall only be provided to residents who are citizens of the United States or qualified aliens or non-citizens otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law and shall not be provided to illegal or undocumented aliens; provided further, that the individual shall not be subject to sponsor income deeming or related restrictions; provided further, that the payment standard shall equal the payment standard in effect under the general relief program in fiscal year 1991; provided further, that the department may provide benefits to persons age 65 or older who have applied for benefits under chapter 118A of the General Laws, to persons suffering from a medically-determinable impairment or combination of impairments which is expected to last for a period as determined by department regulations and which substantially reduces or eliminates such individuals' capacity to support themselves and which has been verified by a competent authority, to certain persons caring for a disabled person, to otherwise eligible participants in the vocational rehabilitation program of the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission and to dependent children who are ineligible for benefits under both chapter 118 of the General Laws and the separate program created by section 210 of chapter 43 of the acts of 1997 and parents or other caretakers of dependent children who are ineligible under said chapter 118 and under said separate program; provided further, that no ex-offender, person over age 45 without a prior work history or person in a residential treatment facility shall be eligible for benefits under this program unless the person otherwise meets the eligibility criteria described in this item and defined by regulations of the department; provided further, that no person incarcerated in a correctional institution shall be eligible for benefits under the program; provided further, that no funds shall be expended from this item for the payment of expenses associated with any medical review team, other disability screening process or costs associated with verifying disability for this program; provided further, that the department shall adopt emergency regulations under chapter 30A of the General Laws to implement the changes to this program required by this item promptly and within the appropriation; provided further, that in initially implementing the program for this fiscal year, the department shall include all eligibility categories permitted in this item at the payment standard in effect for the former general relief program in fiscal year 1991; provided further, that in promulgating, amending or rescinding its regulations with respect to eligibility or benefits, including the payment standard, medical benefits and any other benefits under this program, the department shall take into account the amounts available to it for expenditure by this item so as not to exceed the amount appropriated in this item; provided further, that the department may promulgate emergency regulations under chapter 30A of the General Laws to implement these eligibility or benefit changes or both; provided further, that nothing in this item shall be construed as creating any right accruing to recipients of the former general relief program; provided further, that reimbursements collected from the Social Security Administration on behalf of former clients of the emergency aid to the elderly, disabled and children program or unprocessed payments from the program that are returned to the department shall be credited to the General Fund; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the funds made available in this item shall be the only funds available for the program, and the department shall not spend funds for the program in excess of the amount made available in this item; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, 90 days before promulgating any eligibility or benefit changes, the commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees on ways and means and with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives a detailed and comprehensive report setting forth the text of, basis, and reasons for the proposed changes; provided further, that the report shall state exactly which components of the current benefit package shall be altered and the department's assessment of the effects of such benefit or eligibility changes upon recipient families and the number of families affected by the benefit changes; provided further, that the report shall outline all steps that the department has taken to avoid or mitigate any such benefit changes; provided further, that the report shall detail the savings realized by any such changes to benefits or eligibility; and provided further, that the report shall state the department's most accurate assessment of the probable effects of benefit or eligibility changes upon recipient families
88,958,966

account description amount
Federal Grant Spending 8,911,698
4400-1998 DOD State Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Administrative Funding
For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, DOD Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Administration Funding
1,000,000
4400-3064 SNAP Education
For the Purpose of SNAP nutrition education
3,000,000
4400-3067 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training
For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training
2,100,000
4400-3068 Reaching Underserved Elderly and Working Poor in SNAP
For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Reaching Underserved Elderly and Working Poor in SNAP
100,000
4400-3069 Full Employment Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Cash Out
For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Full Employment SNAP Cash Out
15,000
4400-3080 Healthy Incentive Pilot (HIP) Grant
For the purpose of a federally funded grant entitled, SNAP Healthy Incentive Pilot (HIP) grant
2,696,698

account description amount