We wanted to share a couple pieces of recent information we learned this week DTA that may have an impact on your clients.

1. Quincy DTA Office to Open Soon

At a recent meeting with SNAP Coalition members, Commissioner McCue announced that DTA will be reopening a local office Quincy. The office is currently scheduled to open October 1st, (but the exact date could change)  The cities and towns to be served at this location include:  Quincy, North Quincy, Wollaston, Dedham, Dorchester (02122/02124), Milton, Norwood, Westwood, Braintree, East Weymouth, Hingham, Hull, North Weymouth, South Weymouth, Weymouth, Cohasset, Norwell, Scituate, North Scituate, Wollaston.

2. Metal Screening in all DTA Offices

The attached memo explains DTA's protocol for now having metal screening detectors in all offices, much like folks experience at the State House, One Ashnburton Place and many federal offices. DTA Central claims that both its staff and clients feel more comfortable with this metal screening process, that recipients in offices where there is already metal screening are not bothered by it and feel more comfortable. We'd like to know if you have clients who are barred from DTA offices due to this new protocol but were not carrying weapons or anything that could be construed as a weapon. We just want to monitor how this goes.

3. Clients with "No Trespass" Restrictions

For many years DTA has in fact "barred" certain clients from coming in person to local DTA offices, largely based on the individual directly threatening a worker, security guard, receptionist or threatening another client in the waiting room. DTA has protoco to both identify these individuals and provide alternative service. Earlier this week, DTA confirmed that it sends a letter to a "barred" individual that informs them they cannot come in person to the local DTA office, but also provides them with the name and direct phone number of the local DTA Office Director or AD, and how their SNAP or cash case will be handled (for ex, by phone or perhaps supervised meetings). If you happen to have clients who have been coded "No Trespass," but cannot their SNAP or cash case approved or reopened, please let us know.

We have other policy news on TAFDC changes, the new DTA Mobile App and other updates we will share next week.