In July, Governor Charlie Baker signed the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Massachusetts state budget into law. The budget includes a number of critical funding and policy changes that directly affect the lives of families across MA, including the families EMPath works with.

Each year, EMPath advocates both for the passage of important bills and for key funding and policy measures in the state budget. Our efforts are informed by the families we work with and the staff who partner with them every day. We were excited to see some critical provisions in this year’s budget:

Cash Assistance

• Increase in funding for Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC)

Currently, cash assistance grants through the TAFDC program are still below the “deep poverty level” - meaning the amount families receive is not even at half the federal poverty level. This is not nearly enough for families receiving this assistance to meet basic needs. Grants are not tied to inflation. EMPath has long been working to raise cash grants. We are a leader in the Lift Our Kids MA Coalition, playing key roles in the successful 2019 campaign to lift the family cap and last year’s historic 10% increase in cash assistance grants in the FY21 state budget — the first increase for TAFDC in over 20 years.

This FY22 increase (9.1%) is in addition to last year’s 10% increase. We are continuing to advocate for increases to these grants.

Child Care

• Funding to cover parent fees for subsidized child care through December 2021

Parents who qualify for child care assistance have a copay based on their income. The state has been covering these copays during the pandemic, allowing eligible families to access child care for free. This budget provision means the state will continue covering these copays through December — allowing families to use that money for other critical expenses like rent, toilet paper, soap, etc. We need to ensure all children have access to affordable and quality child care!

Rental Assistance

• Increase in funding for the MA Rental Voucher Program (MRVP)
  
• Language to continue providing up to $10,000 to Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) recipients through December 2021

MRVP is critical to keeping families housed. MRVP vouchers are used to subsidize rent in market-rate apartments, which is critical in a state with one of the highest costs of living in the country (including soaring housing costs). EMPath’s participant advocates played a key role in advocating for this increased funding to the program. In addition, EMPath’s program Abbot House houses MRVP recipients.

The RAFT program is also key to preventing homelessness. RAFT helps ensure people have support with back rent and utility payments, first and last month’s rent, security deposits, and transportation to avoid evictions and maintain housing.

Streamlining Access to Basic Needs Programs

• Inclusion of SNAP gap language

In MA, there are over 700,000 people receiving MassHealth who are likely eligible for SNAP but are not receiving it, known as the “SNAP Gap.” The language in this year’s budget ensures families in this gap can access MassHealth (state health insurance) and SNAP (food assistance) simultaneously through a common application. EMPath is a member of the coalition working to close this and other gaps, like the gap between those receiving SNAP but not cash assistance.

Job Training and Workforce Development

• Major increases in funding for the Secure Jobs program and Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund

The Secure Jobs program supports families in accessing stable jobs while experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. The initiative bridges the critical gap between housing and workforce development services. EMPath is one of the organizations contracted by the state to run this program.

The Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund helps train and place unemployed and underemployed Massachusetts residents into jobs that are in demand by employers in a targeted region.

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These policy changes and funding increases would not have been possible without your support.

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