What's new at MLS

Thanks again to all of you who participated in yesterday’s SNAP Coalition meeting – 92 participants, WOW!  And huge thanks again to DTA for keeping all the SNAP engines firing with the SNAP supplement, waiving interviews  and pursuing additional flexibilities around Interim…

TO: SNAP Coalition Members FR:  Pat Baker   Just a reminder of the Health Care for All Health Justice Academy series (every Wednesday in October), including this afternoon's 3 PM webinar on "Food and nutrition challenges, resources, and opportunities for immigrant…

The public health emergency which Sec Azar first announced in January, 2020 is up for renewal every 90 days. On Oct 2 he renewed the emergency declaration for another 90 days from Oct 23.   Most of the Medicaid protections during the pandemic, such as the moratorium on…

 A number of updates below after Tuesday's Coalition meeting - This is a long one, but we have a lot of info to get to you all! Thank you to Ellen Vollinger from the Food Research and Action Center for her presentation on the federal landscape and to Brittany Mangini from DTA for her…

I’m writing about two sets of upcoming deadlines:  (1)   Deadlines to apply for the one-time IRS stimulus payments, authorized by the CARES Act, of up to $1200 for eligible adults and $500 per qualified child (also known as the Economic Impact Payment (EIP)): Sept. 30 for…

We have two piece of BIG news in P-EBT land:   1.  P-EBT for September:  DTA and DESE pursued and were approved for September P-EBT benefits for Massachusetts students. This includes P-EBT for the delayed start of schools as well as P-EBT for any children in remote learning…

MassHealth has operated under a comprehensive 1115 Demonstration program for most people under 65 and not needing nursing home care since 1997. The 1115 Demo has been renewed at 3 to 5 year intervals ever since then.  The current demonstration authorization period runs from July 1,…

Thank you to all of you who joined yesterday’s Zoom call.  102 participants! Wow, we figured you were all vacationing. It was a pleasure to have you on the call along with our national partners from FRAC. THANK YOU for all you do to serve low income Massachusetts…

In follow up to Tuesday’s SNAP Coalition meeting, there are important updates we’d like to share.  In terms of a “perfect storm” of challenges, in early August many parts of MA suffered extensive power outages in early August; the $600/week federal pandemic unemployment…

We are writing to give you some critical updates on public charge, current data on the number of Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) cards that remain unpinned, and the school districts that might be able to elect universal free school meal status (Community Eligibility Provision or CEP).   Public…