Cash Assistance Programs

Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children Program (Line Item 4408-1000/ outside sections 187,188, 274, 379).
EAEDC is the state’s program of last resort for 16,000 elderly and disabled people and some children in special circumstances. It provides a maximum of $303/month in cash assistance and access to health insurance through the MassHealth program.

The Governor’s budget:

• Terminates cash assistance benefits to an estimated 4,700 elderly and disabled individuals.
• Changes the name of the program to Transitional Supplemental Security Income and tightens eligibility. Recipients will now need to meet the strict disability criteria of the Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, for a minimum duration of 60 days. (outside section 187). It also eliminates cash assistance for caretakers of disabled family members and people receiving services from the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (outside section 187). Lawful non-citizens who do not meet the non-citizens requirements for the federal SSI program are also prohibited from receiving benefits. (outside section 188).
• Funds the line item at $54.3 million for FY05. This is $12 million less than the amount appropriated by the legislature in FY’04 and is based on a smaller projected caseload under the new eligibility rules.
• Allows people receiving EAEDC as of February 2004 to continue on MassHealth even if they no longer qualify for cash assistance under the new rules, however, FUTURE applicants would be ineligible for MassHealth if they do not meet the tightened eligibility criteria. (outside section 379)
• Gives the Department the authority to reduced grant levels if it believes that the appropriation will be insufficient to cover costs WITHOUT first informing the legislature. Several times over the past few years, the legislature has provided supplemental funding for the program to prevent proposed cuts.

Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (4403-2000/ outside sections 189, 282, 283 and 378).

The Governor’s budget:

• Funds the program at $316.4 million, $4 million more than the FY’04 appropriation.
• Increases the TAFDC work requirement from 20 hours per week to 34 hours per week for parents of school age children and to 24 hours/week for parents of preschool children. (outside sections 282 and 283),
• Tightens the definition of disability under the TAFDC program so that only parents who meet the very strict federal SSI disability standards (for a minimum duration of 30 days) are considered disabled and therefore exempt from work and time limit requirements. (outside section 189).
• REQUIRES the Department of Transitional Assistance, WHEN REQUESTED BY THE LANDLORD, to deduct a family’s rent from their TAFDC grant and pay it directly to the landlord as long as the apartment meets housing codes. (outside section 378). Under current rules, the Department needs to
  determine that the parent has mismanaged his or her money before placing them on direct “vendor” payments.
  

Shelter Programs

Emergency Assistance Family Shelter Program (4403-2120/outside section 33).

The Governor’s budget:

• Funds the program at $75.7 million. This funding level should be adequate to provide shelter to all categories of families who qualify under the current rules and regulations.
• Includes general language allowing the Department of Transitional Assistance to develop pilot programs to improve the effectiveness of its programs for homeless families. (outside section 33)
• REQUIRES the Department to convert its scattered-site shelter units into a time-limited program and to restrict eligibility for these units to working families. There are NO details provided regarding the nature of the time limits for these scattered-site units, the actions to be taken by the Department when families reach this time limit, or other information on how the program will operate. All details are to be determined through regulations. This proposal will take off line more than 250 family shelter units. (outside section 33)
• REQUIRES the Department to make changes in eligibility rules or services in order to ensure that expenditures will not exceed appropriations rather than giving the legislature an opportunity to provide more funding to avoid these cutbacks. (outside section 33)
• Eliminates tracking and reporting language contained in FY’04 line item as well as language requiring the Department to do all it can to ensure that homeless children can continue in their school of origin.

Homeless Individuals Assistance (4406-3000/outside section 33).

The Governor’s budget:

• Level funds the program at $30 million.
• Includes language in outside section 33 to allow the Department of Transitional Assistance to develop unspecified pilot programs to improve the effectiveness of programs serving homeless individuals.

Housing Programs:

Public Housing Operating Subsidies (7004-9005/outside section 200).

The Governor’s budget:

• Provides $30.2 million in FY’05 funding ($5.million over FY’04 appropriations) to maintain the state’s public housing stock.
• Includes language in outside section 200, establishing a minimum rent of $50/bedroom for families in state public housing. Similar to a proposal made by the Governor in his FY’04 budget, this year’s proposal does at least provide waivers from the minimum rent based on financial hardship.

Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (7004-9024/outside sections 350).

The Governor’s budget:

• Reduces funding for the MRVP program, the state subsidy program for low-income residents, by $2.5 million from the FY’04 funding levels. While no one will lose their housing subsidy because of this cut, it will mean that any MRVP vouchers returned to the Department will not be used to help someone new.

Alternative Rental Voucher Program (7004-9030/outside section 346).

The Governor’s budget:

• Level funds the program at the FY’04 appropriation.

For more information contact the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, 617 423-9162.