The Problem:

• SNAP clients aren't able to reach DTA workers for their application interviews, to report household changes, or to send verification documents, leaving people who are low-income and food insecure in the dark.
• MA has a current “SNAP gap” of approx. 440K people - 44% are children - turning away significant federal nutrition dollars for state. 
  • Children, older adults, and people who are disabled make up the majority of people on SNAP. The most vulnerable people in MA are being cut off from SNAP because DTA caseworkers don't have the capacity to do their jobs effectively.
• Trump Administration has already slashed eligibility for legal immigrants and expanded strict work rules that cut eligible people from SNAP. 
   
• We need our government to ACT NOW and invest in DTA so that clients aren't wrongly cut from SNAP and workers can serve clients accurately and quickly, but the budget does not acknowledge the dire need for these funds.
  • The FY27 budget (H.2) continues level funding & the Governor’s FY26 supp (H. 5050) seeks to level fund existing SNAP caseworkers.

The Solution:

• State investment in DTA! DTA needs to hire about 200 workers to get to pre-COVID workloads. This would cost the state $30M in FY27 and about $7M for the remainder FY26.