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Department of Transitional Assistance
Data Current as of: 8/10/2018
| ACCOUNT | FY2019 Conference |
FY2019 Vetoes |
FY2019 Overrides |
FY2019 GAA |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4400-1000 | Dept of Transitional Assistance Administration and Operation | 62,690 | 0 | 0 | 62,690 |
| 4400-1001 | Food Stamp Participation Rate Programs | 7,262 | 0 | 0 | 7,262 |
| 4400-1020 | Secure Jobs Connect | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| 4400-1025 | Domestic Violence Specialists | 1,611 | 0 | 0 | 1,611 |
| 4400-1100 | Caseworkers Reserve | 72,814 | 0 | 0 | 72,814 |
| 4400-1979 | Pathways to Self Sufficiency | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 1,000 |
| 4401-1000 | Employment Services Program | 14,339 | 0 | 0 | 14,339 |
| 4403-2000 | Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children Grant Pmt | 201,581 | 0 | 0 | 201,581 |
| 4403-2007 | Supplemental Nutritional Program | 300 | 0 | 0 | 300 |
| 4403-2008 | Transportation Benefits for SNAP Work Program Participants | 1,500 | 0 | 0 | 1,500 |
| 4403-2119 | Teen Structured Settings Program | 8,808 | 0 | 0 | 8,808 |
| 4405-2000 | State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income | 220,467 | 0 | 0 | 220,467 |
| 4408-1000 | Emergency Aid to the Elderly Disabled and Children | 76,265 | 0 | 0 | 76,265 |
| TOTAL | 669,636 | 0 | 0 | 669,636 | |
| account | description | amount |
|---|---|---|
| DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE | 677,087,592 | |
| 4400-1000 | Dept of Transitional Assistance Administration and Operation
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 and unless otherwise expressly provided, federal reimbursements received for 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 also be an application for assistance under chapter 118E of the General Laws; provided further, that if the department denies assistance under said chapter 118, the department shall transmit the application to the executive office of health and human services for a determination of eligibility under said chapter 118E; 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; provided further, that the information shall be provided in a manner that meets all applicable federal and state privacy and security requirements; provided further, that after April 1, 2019 the commissioner of transitional assistance may transfer funds for identified deficiencies between items 4403-2000, 4405-2000 and 4408-1000; provided further, that the distribution of the funds to be transferred shall be included in an allocation plan, which the commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees on ways and means 15 days before any transfer; and provided further, that upon approval by the executive office for administration and finance, the commissioner of transitional assistance may transfer funds for identified deficiencies between this item and item 4400-1100 |
62,690,146 |
| 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 $350,000 shall be expended for a grant to 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 reverification 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 catalog eligibility documents electronically from this item; provided further, that funds may be expended for supplemental nutrition assistance program outreach; provided further, that the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 3, 2018 on the status of these programs; and provided further, that $4,000,000 shall be expended to the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grant program for the project costs of the Massachusetts healthy incentives program |
7,261,664 |
| 4400-1020 | Secure Jobs Connect
For the operation of the secure jobs connect program for employment support, job training and job search services for homeless or previously homeless families receiving assistance from the department of housing and community development under items 7004-0101, 7004-0108, 7004-9024 or 7004-9316; provided, that participants receiving assistance under said items 7004-0101 and 7004-0108 shall receive a minimum of 12 months of housing stabilization services under said items 7004-0101 and 7004-0108; provided further, that services shall be delivered by community-based agencies that have demonstrated experience working in partnership with regional administering agencies including, but not limited to: Community Teamwork Inc.; Father Bill's & MainSpring, Inc.; Way Finders; Jewish Vocational Service, Inc.; SER-Jobs for Progress, Inc.; South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Inc.; and Worcester Community Action Council, Inc.; provided further, that the department of housing and community development shall make available rental assistance pursuant to item 7004-9024 to ensure effective participation in this program; provided further, that service delivery agencies shall seek additional federal, state or private funds to ensure the effective continuation of regional partnerships; and provided further, that the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than March 15, 2019, by type of service or program provided, on the: (i) housing situation, including the stability of housing, for program participants; (ii) employment status, including employment history, of program participants; (iii) total number of program participants; and (iv) number of program participants who are no longer receiving assistance under said items 7004-0101, 7004-0108, 7004-9024 or 7004-9316 |
1,000,000 |
| 4400-1025 | Domestic Violence Specialists
For domestic violence specialists at local area offices |
1,610,558 |
| 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 |
72,813,971 |
| 4400-1979 | Pathways to Self Sufficiency
For the department of transitional assistance to administer, in consultation with the commonwealth corporation, an employment counseling and job training program and the pathways to self-sufficiency program respectively established under sections 3B and 3C of chapter 118 of the General Laws and for the full employment program established under section 110 of chapter 5 of the acts of 1995, as amended by section 29 of chapter 158 of the acts of 2014 |
1,000,000 |
| 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 the department may expend funds on such services for the non-custodial parents of dependent children receiving transitional aid to families with dependent children; provided further that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for Ascentria Care Alliance; provided further, that the department shall spend not less than the amount spent in fiscal year 2018 for the young parents program and the competitive integrated employment services program; provided further, that not less than $170,000 shall be provided for learning disability assessments through the University of Massachusetts; provided further, that not less than $779,058 shall be expended for transportation benefits for recipients of transitional aid to families with dependent children; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended for the DTA Works internship program; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for a transportation program developed and operated by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended for the service providers with whom the office for refugees and immigrants entered into service agreements in fiscal year 2018 under this line-item; provided further, that certain parents who have not yet reached 18 years of age, 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 the department of transitional assistance shall file a report with the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than March 1, 2019 detailing: (i) the number of clients served by these programs; (ii) the number of clients who transition into employment, when applicable; (iii) the number of clients who remain in employment after 90 days, when applicable; (iv) the number of clients who remain in employment after 1 year, when applicable; and (v) other quantifiable data related to client outcomes as designed by these programs; provided further, that the department shall examine the outcomes of these programs to determine which are effective in transitioning clients to employment and increasing self-sufficiency; and provided further, that the department shall consider other programs to meet transitional employment needs of clients |
14,339,226 |
| 4403-2000 | Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children Grant Pmt
For a program of transitional aid to families with dependent children; provided, that the need standard shall be equal to the standard that was in effect in fiscal year 2018 unless the department determines that a reduction in the monthly payment standard shall 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 department shall notify parents under 20 years of age who are receiving benefits from the program of the requirements of clause (2) of subsection (i) of said section 110 of said chapter 5 or any successor law; provided further, that a $40 per month rental allowance shall be paid to households incurring a rent or mortgage expense and not residing in public or subsidized housing; provided further, that a nonrecurring children's clothing allowance of $350 shall be provided to each child eligible under this program in September 2018; provided further, that the children's clothing allowance shall be included in the standard of need for the month of September 2018; provided further, that benefits under this program shall not be available to those families in which a child has been removed from the household under a court order after a care and protection hearing under chapter 119 of the General Laws or 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 under 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 that parent 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 such standards 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 75 days before any changes to the disability standards are proposed; provided further, that the department shall provide oral and written notification to all recipients of their childcare benefits at the time of application and on a semi-annual basis; provided further, that the notification shall include the full range of childcare options available, including center-based childcare, family-based childcare and in-home relative childcare; provided further, that the notification shall detail available childcare benefits for current and former recipients, including employment and training benefits and transitional benefits; provided further, that the notice shall also advise recipients of the availability of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits; provided further, that in promulgating, amending or rescinding its regulations relative to eligibility for, or levels of, benefits under the program, the department shall take into account the amounts available to it for expenditure from this item so as not to exceed this appropriation; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended for cash and transportation benefits for newly employed transitional aid to families with dependent children clients for a period not to exceed 12 months to assist them with short-term self-sufficiency; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of transitional assistance shall calculate benefits provided under this item in the same manner as the previous fiscal year; provided further, that the department's calculation of benefits shall not preclude the department from making eligibility or benefit changes that lead to an increase in eligibility or benefits; provided further, that the department shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate 75 days before adopting eligibility or benefit changes; and provided further, that the report shall include the text of, basis and reasons for, the proposed changes |
201,580,967 |
| 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 |
300,000 |
| 4403-2008 | Transportation Benefits for SNAP Work Program Participants
For transportation benefits for supplemental nutrition assistance program recipients who are participating in the SNAP work program |
1,500,000 |
| 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 |
8,808,389 |
| 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 federal 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 executive 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 |
220,466,788 |
| 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 for such purpose; provided, that the recipient shall not be subject to sponsor income deeming or related restrictions; provided further, that in implementing the program for fiscal year 2019, the department shall include all eligibility categories permitted in this item at or above the payment standard in effect for the former general relief program in fiscal year 1991; provided further, that any person experiencing homelessness, who (a) has no established place of abode, or lives in a temporary emergency shelter, and (b) is otherwise eligible under the provisions of this item and said chapter 117A shall receive the same payment rate as recipients who incur shelter costs including, but not limited to, rent or a mortgage; provided further, that the department shall promulgate or revise any such rules and regulations necessary to implement this provision; 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 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 the program required by this item promptly and within the appropriation; provided further, that in implementing the program for fiscal year 2019, the department shall include all eligibility categories 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 amount 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 said chapter 30A to implement these eligibility or benefit changes or both; provided further, that nothing in this item shall be construed to create 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, 75 days before adopting any eligibility or benefit changes, the commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities and 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 will be altered and the department's most accurate assessment of the effects of benefit or eligibility changes upon recipient families; and provided further, that the payment standard shall equal the payment standard in effect under the general relief program in fiscal year 1991 |
76,264,729 |
| account | description | amount |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Grant Spending | 7,451,154 | |
| 4400-3064 | SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention
For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, SNAP Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant |
5,644,612 |
| 4400-3067 | SNAP Employment and Training
For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training |
1,306,542 |
| 4400-3081 | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive
For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant Program |
500,000 |
| account | description | amount |
|---|
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