Cash and SNAP benefits for Low-Income Veterans and Family Members
TO: Food SNAP Coalition Members
FR: Pat Baker
Happy Veterans Day and Happy 11-11-11.
We wanted to be sure you saw today's Globe editorial exhorting local cities and towns to reach out to local veterans and their families in financial need and help them access Massachusetts Veterans Services benefits and help them get federal benefits as well. https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/letters/2018/03/31/mass-works-ensure-veterans-get-support/zmX41Z2pFRAi3AXUwIKRxI/story.html. Local cities and towns have done a woefully poor job providing benefits to these individuals and the new Secretary of Veterans Services, Coleman Nee, is taking the local agents to task!!
Veterans Services Benefits: The Veterans Services program is cash and medical assistance to low income veterans and their dependents (spouses, kids and sometimes parents) who are in financial need. This program is also known as "Chapter 115" benefits, authorized under Chapter 115 of the Massachusetts General Laws. Veterans Services is not a federal program, it is funded by the state (75%) and local cities and towns (25%) and provides monthly cash assistance and Medical benefits based on financial need (income and assets). The amount of monthly benefits is significantly higher than TAFDC, EAEDC and even SSI. Health care comparable to MassHealth is available for eligible persons up to 200% FPL, and includes some emergency and back rent/mortgage benefits. Veterans Services benefits can also supplement federal VA service and non-service connected disability benefits and pensions if those benefits or pensions are low.
Attached is an MLRI client flier that explains the basics of the Massachusetts Veterans Services program, as well as an up-to-date budget chart that gives you information on the benefit calculation. If you need more information on this program, please contact me at MLRI. Local Legal Services programs may also be able to provide legal representation for veterans or dependents denied these benefits.
SNAP and Veterans: As a reminder - DTA issued guidance a few years ago instructing SNAP staff that any portion of Veterans Services benefits paid directly to a landlord or utility company as a vendor payment would not be countable income for SNAP purposes. Here's the link to the DTA guidance here: http://www.masslegalservices.org/node/25610
SNAP and Immigrant Veterans/Dependents: We also want to remind you that a legally present immigrant who is either an active military service member, a veteran or the spouse or dependent of a military service member or veteran qualifies as an eligible immigrant for SNAP purposes without waiting the five year waiting period!. USDA guidance confirms that policy here: fns.usda.gov/snap/government/pdf/Non-Citizen_Guidance_063011.pdf [Editor's Note: Link is no longer active] (See Section I, pages 2 - 4). If you have immigrant clients who are told they must wait five years before qualifying, please flag these cases and contact MLRI.