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MGH Community News |
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MGH Community News |
| January 2024 | Volume 28 • Issue 1 |
Highlights
Sections Social Service staff may direct resource questions to the Community Resource Center, Hannah Perry, 617-726-8182. Questions, comments about the newsletter? Contact Ellen Forman, 617-726-5807. |
Affordable Connectivity Program Ending Unless New Funding Allocated Barring new funding, the Affordable Connectivity Program will stop accepting new applications and enrollments on February 7, 2024. Consumers must be approved and enrolled with a service provider by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 7 to receive the ACP benefit. The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. The end of this historic broadband affordability program means that nearly 23 million households across the country, including 361,000 households in Massachusetts, are at risk of losing internet access. The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. Most of the nation’s major home broadband providers offer low-cost services that are effectively free to consumers who receive the federal subsidy. For example, Comcast offers a basic broadband service with download speeds of up to 50 megabits for $10 a month, or 100 megabits for $30 a month. Both Comcast offerings will still be available if the FCC program ends, but customers will have to pay out of their own pockets. The Affordable Connectivity Program funding is expected to last through April 2024, running out completely in May, barring further Congressional appropriations.
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Families are eligible for the program if their household income falls below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or if someone in the household participates in a variety of federal assistance programs, such as Medicaid, the free school lunch program, or the SNAP food assistance program. Legislation that would provide an additional $7 billion for the program is pending in Congress. Massachusetts Democratic US Senator Ed Markey pledged his support for the bill. “The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that broadband is essential to our daily lives,” Markey said in an email. “I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to save this program so that the 22 million enrolled households, including 361,000 households in Massachusetts, are not forced back into the digital divide.” Fact sheet: FCC ACP Fact Sheet - English Sources and for More Information
New State-Funded SNAP for Immigrants The federal government restricted legal immigrant access to benefits in 1996 and for a time (1997 – 2002) MA paid to maintain those benefits using state funds. Those benefits were subsequently cut, but are now being partially and temporarily reinstated via inclusion of $6M in the state Supplemental Budget signed in December. Under federal rules, ADULTS with TPS or Humanitarian Parole from most countries other than Cuba/Haiti, those with pending asylum applications (again if not from Cuba/Haiti) and others who fall under the benefits informal grouping of Permanently Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOL) are NOT SNAP eligible. The immigrants eligible for the state-funded benefit are legally present immigrants who cannot get federal SNAP including those with Humanitarian Parole or battered immigrants, as well as immigrants “under color of law”. These populations may receive state-funded SNAP through the end of this fiscal year. Adult Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs/green-card holders) who are subject to the 5-year waiting period will still NOT be covered under the state-funded benefit. Apply Now The benefit calculation and eligibility determination are complex due to the interplay of citizenship rules and differing state and federal funding sources, all of which requires significant technical systems and policy work to mobilize. DTA is working to implement the required changes to their systems, so the state-funded SNAP program is not “live” right now. However, immigrants can still apply now to lock in an application date! They may get a letter that says their SNAP was denied. All applicants who were/are denied for federal benefits on or after 12/4/23 but are eligible for the state-funded SNAP supplement, will be informed of such, and issued payments, after all changes are in place in early 2024. Sources
Trouble-Shooting SNAP Denials and Application Tip How can we help patients/families who may have been wrongly denied SNAP or their case is closed in error? Mass Law Reform Institute (MLRI) has created a new chart Common Reasons for SNAP Denials/Closures and Advocacy Tips. The chart provides explanations around the most common reasons that SNAP is denied or closed, and what next steps to take - for example, when SNAP is denied for missing the application interview, missing a Recertification, and more. MLRI also recently released data on SNAP denials by type of application. The most successful application process (that with the lowest number of denials) are walk-ins (meeting with staff to complete an application) and by phone. Applying in person or by phone combines the application process with the required interview, eliminating the need for a second call, thereby streamlining the process, ensuring the interview takes place and avoiding a common source of denials. Advocates can help patients/families have a successful application and avoid one of the most common reasons for denial – missing the interview by encouraging applying either in-person or by phone. Stay tuned for release of the 2024 SNAP Advocacy Guide in the weeks to come! - Adapted from [FoodSNAPcoalition] Urge Gov. Healey to rescind cash cuts, state-funded SNAP, SNAP 101 resources, Victoria Negus, MLRI, January 12, 2024; additional material from SNAP Coalition meeting, January 23, 2024- thanks to Hannah Perry for sharing.
Undocumented MA Students May Now Qualify for In-State Tuition and Financial Aid This month, Massachusetts launched the new Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid, or MASFA, program, which provides state, need-based financial aid to migrant students who don’t have legal documentation to be in the country and are currently enrolled in a Massachusetts college. The program is a result of the state’s Tuition Equity Law passed in August 2023, which broadens eligibility for need-based, in-state tuition and state financial aid for all students who have attended three years or more of high school in Massachusetts, and earned a high school diploma (or the equivalent) in the Commonwealth, regardless of immigration status. The MASFA form allows students who are not able to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) due to their immigration status a way to apply for need-based state financial aid. These forms will be used by institutions to assess student eligibility for in-state tuition and non-need based financial aid (Student Application and Affidavit), as well as need-based state financial aid (MASFA). Students who otherwise meet the three-year attendance and degree-equivalent requirement(s) may satisfy documentation requirements by submitting either a Social Security or Taxpayer ID number, or an Affidavit affirming that the student will apply for citizenship if and when the student becomes eligible to do so under federal law. “Quality higher education should be accessible to all Massachusetts high school graduates,” said Governor Maura Healey in a statement Tuesday. “Students who have long been part of our communities in Massachusetts should be eligible for the historic financial aid programs we have launched this year, and they should have every opportunity to grow their careers and be part of building our state’s workforce.” Learn more- see FAQs on this page: https://www.mass.edu/tuitionequity/home.asp - See the full Boston Globe article.
Free Virtual Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop for Cambridge and Somerville Residents 60+ Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is offering free Chronic Disease Self-Management (CDSMP) workshops via Zoom, starting in February for Cambridge and Somerville residents age 60+ living with a chronic physical disease. Participants who finish the course will also receive $50 grocery gift cards. CDSMP is an education workshop that aims to build confidence in managing health and help participants stay engaged with their lives. Developed by a team of researchers at Stanford University, it is for adults with chronic health problems, such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and other ongoing health concerns. CDSMP focuses on problem solving and decision making, helping participants set goals and develop action plans to address effects of chronic disease, improve health and communicate better with friends, family and health professionals. The SCES CDSMP workshop will be facilitated by: Meghan Ostrander, who is Director of Nutrition and Community Programs at SCES. The six-week workshop will convene on Thursdays from 1-3, starting on Feb. 29. For more information or to register call Meghan Ostrander at 617-628-2601 ext. 3172 or email meghan.ostrander@eldercare.org. - From SCES offering Chronic Disease Self-Management classes, Somerville-Cambridge Elder Service, January 29, 2024.
Wu Announces Free Museum Admission for BPS Students and Families Twice a month, Boston Public School students and their families will be able to visit multiple museums and attractions without paying a dime. “Starting in February, on the first and second Sundays of each month, BPS students and their families will get free admission at the Museum of Fine Arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Science, The Boston Children's Museum, the New England Aquarium, and the Franklin Park Zoo,” said Mayor Michelle Wu in her State of the City address on Tuesday. The announcement follows a trend of increased accessibility at Boston-area institutions. Last year the Harvard Art Museums announced free admission for all visitors year-round, joining other museums with free admission such as Fuller Craft Museum, the McMullen Museum at Boston College and the Mass Art Art Museum. Currently general admission costs a family of four (two adults and two teenagers) $74 at the Museum of Fine Arts, $63 at the Franklin Park Zoo and $136 at the New England Aquarium. "We are thrilled to partner with the city and our colleagues to bring free cultural experiences to BPS students and their families,” wrote Museum of Science president Tim Ritchie in an email. “One of our highest priorities as an institution is creating a learning space that is inclusive, equitable, and accessible for all. The beauty of scientific discovery should not be a privilege, but rather a birthright for every child in the city. We cannot wait to welcome even more BPS families through our doors and to help spark their lifelong love of science.” - See the full WBUR story.
2024 SSI and MassHealth Updates 2024 SSI amounts take effect Jan. 1, 2024. DLC’s 2024 SSI Table is here. The new Federal Poverty Levels (FPLs) for 2024 have been Published in Federal Register on Jan 17, 2024. MassHealth income guidelines vary depending on category/program and update to the new FPLs at different times of year. In 2024 100% FPL for a family size of one will increases from $1215 to $1255 per mo. 2024 FPLs take effect in MassHealth on March 1, 2024. MassHealth income standards for the Home and Community Based waiver programs and PACE are based on 300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate and took effect January 1. The 2024 rate for these programs for one person increases from $2742 per mo to $2829 per mo. 12-months of MassHealth continuous eligibility for children and youth under 19 was effective Jan 1, 2024 pursuant to federal law. MassHealth also extended 24 months of continuous eligibility for unhoused people in Dec 2023 and 12-month continuous eligibility for people released from incarceration in April 2023 pursuant to the 1115 demonstration. The agency expects to release written guidance about all three types of continuous eligibility sometime in January 2024. Effective March 1, 2024 there will no longer be an asset test for the Medicare Savings Program! These changes are now in the regulations at 130 CMR 519.010 and 519.011. Effective with coverage starting Jan. 1, 2024, the upper income limit for ConnectorCare has increased from 300% FPL to 500% FPL. The Health Connector uses the 2023 FPLs for coverage in 2024. Also new for ConnectorCare are federal rule changes one of which automatically grants a 60-day extension to the current 90 days permitted for a consumer to resolve an income verification issue before facing a reduction or loss of the advance premium tax credits. More translations: The following MassHealth forms and publications previously only available in English and Spanish are now translated into Simplified Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, Haitian-Creole and Vietnamese: Authorized Rep Designation form, Permission to Share Info form, Member Book (under 65/MAGI), Senior Guide (65 & over/non-MAGI), Fair Hearing Form. There is a new e-submission option for older adults to report a change to MassHealth: those 65 or older can fill out the MassHealth Report a Change Form online or mail or fax the form. - Adapted from [Health-announce] Eligibility Updates & Reminder of HCWG this Wednesday, Vicky Pulos, MLRI, January 22, 2024.
MassHealth Up to Three Months Retroactive Eligibility Will be Available for Pregnant Individuals and Children Under 19 - Must Notify MassHealth of Bills Upcoming changes to MassHealth update the start date for pregnant individuals and children under the age of 19. They may be eligible to receive up to three months of retroactive coverage, if they inform MassHealth that they have medical bills during the three-month period before the date that the application was received by MassHealth. Start date rules surrounding whether an applicant met the one-time deductible were also removed, due to deductible rules being removed from CommonHealth per the most recent 1115 waiver. These regulations are effective February 2, 2024. - See the Eligibility Operations Memo 247
What are the Medicare costs for 2024? Here’s a breakdown of the costs you can expect in 2024: Part A (Hospital Insurance)
Part B (Medical Insurance)
Part D (Prescription Drug Insurance)
For more details, check out our Guide to Medicare Costs in 2024 here: Medicare Costs in 2024. You can also review your Medicare & You 2024 handbook (contact 1-800-MEDICARE (633-4227) to receive one) if you have Original Medicare. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, contact your plan directly to learn about changes in 2024 that might affect you. - From Dear Marci: What are the Medicare costs for 2024? Medicare Rights Center, January 29, 2024.
Few Beneficiaries Know Medicare Part D Out-of-Pocket Cap Now in Effect A newly effective Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provision is improving prescription drug affordability for many people with Medicare Part D — but too few know about it, potentially limiting its efficacy. As of January 1, 2024, Part D enrollees are no longer required to pay 5% coinsurance after they reach the catastrophic threshold. According to a new KFF report, this means that in 2024, Part D enrollees will pay no more than about $3,300 for all brand-name drugs they take. And starting in 2025, out-of-pocket (OOP) drug spending will be capped at an even lower amount, $2,000, indexed annually for growth in Part D costs. Although 5% may not seem like much, with many drugs priced at $150,000 or more per year, it can add up quickly. Affording thousands of dollars in medication costs a year can be particularly burdensome for people with Medicare, many of whom live on fixed or limited incomes that cannot keep pace with high and rising prescription drug prices. To illustrate the impact of this coinsurance change, KFF examined three commonly taken cancer drugs, each priced at well over $100,000 a year. In 2023, Medicare Part D enrollees who used any of these drugs for the entire year faced nearly $12,000 in OOP costs. In 2024, their portion will drop by eight to nine thousand dollars. And next year, when the $2,000 cap takes effect, they’ll save even more. Notably, recent KFF polling finds only a quarter of older adults know about this change to Part D coinsurance rules. This suggests an urgent need for beneficiary outreach and education, as cost concerns may be preventing some people from getting the treatment they need. If you or someone you know has questions about navigating or affording Medicare, call Medicare Rights National Helpline at 800-333-4114, or your local SHIP. Read more from Medicare Rights about Part D coverage phases and costs in 2024. Read the KFF report, The New Help for Medicare Beneficiaries with High Drug Costs That Few Seem to Know About. - See the original Medicare Rights post.
Medicare Now Covers Licensed Marriage and Family Counselors and Licensed Professional Counselors Starting Jan. 1, the more than 65 million Americans who rely on Medicare now have better access to mental health coverage. Medicare now covers therapy appointments with licensed marriage and family counselors, and licensed professional counselors. These are two types of therapists who make up around 40% of the Master's level mental health providers in the country, according to the American Counseling Association. Victoria Kress, a professor at Youngstown State University and a licensed professional counselor, spoke with All Things Considered host Juana Summers about how this new law could affect patients and providers. Excerpts:
More information: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/marriage-and-family-therapists-and-mental-health-counselors-faq-09052023.pdf - See the full NPR story.
Older Americans Say They Feel Trapped in Medicare Advantage Plans In 2016, Richard Timmins went to a free informational seminar to learn more about Medicare coverage. “I listened to the insurance agent and, basically, he really promoted Medicare Advantage,” Timmins said. The agent described less expensive and broader coverage offered by the plans, which are funded largely by the government but administered by private insurance companies. For Timmins, who is now 76, it made economic sense then to sign up. And his decision was great, for a while. Once he learned of a serious illness though, he discovered that his enrollment in a Medicare Advantage plan would mean a limited network of doctors and the potential need for preapproval, or prior authorization, from the insurer before getting care. The experience, he said, made getting care more difficult, and now he wants to switch back to traditional, government-administered Medicare. But he can’t. And he’s not alone. “I have very little control over my actual medical care,” he said, adding that he now advises friends not to sign up for the private plans. “I think that people are not understanding what Medicare Advantage is all about.” Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has grown substantially in the past few decades, enticing more than half of all eligible people, primarily those 65 or older, with low premium costs and perks like dental and vision insurance. And as the private plans’ share of the Medicare patient pie has ballooned to 30.8 million people, so too have concerns about the insurers’ aggressive sales tactics and misleading coverage claims. Enrollees, like Timmins, who sign on when they are healthy can find themselves trapped as they grow older and sicker. “It’s one of those things that people might like them on the front end because of their low to zero premiums and if they are getting a couple of these extra benefits — the vision, dental, that kind of thing,” said Christine Huberty, a lead benefit specialist supervising attorney for the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources. “But it’s when they actually need to use it for these bigger issues,” Huberty said, “that’s when people realize, ‘Oh no, this isn’t going to help me at all.’” Medicare pays private insurers a fixed amount per Medicare Advantage enrollee and in many cases also pays out bonuses, which the insurers can use to provide supplemental benefits. Huberty said those extra benefits work as an incentive to “get people to join the plan” but that the plans then “restrict the access to so many services and coverage for the bigger stuff.” Traditional Medicare allows beneficiaries to go to nearly any doctor or hospital in the U.S., and in most cases enrollees do not need approval to get services. David Meyers, assistant professor of health services, policy, and practice at the Brown University School of Public Health says “the problem is that once you get into Medicare Advantage, if you have a couple of chronic conditions and you want to leave Medicare Advantage, even if Medicare Advantage isn’t meeting your needs, you might not have any ability to switch back to traditional Medicare,” Meyers said. The problem is with qualifying for supplemental/secondary coverage after Medicare Advantage enrollment. Traditional Medicare can be too expensive for beneficiaries switching back from Medicare Advantage, he said. In traditional Medicare, enrollees pay a monthly premium and, after reaching a deductible, in most cases are expected to pay 20% of the cost of each nonhospital service or item they use. And there is no limit on how much an enrollee may have to pay as part of that 20% coinsurance if they end up using a lot of care, Meyers said. To limit what they spend out-of-pocket, traditional Medicare enrollees typically sign up for supplemental insurance, such as employer coverage or a private Medigap policy. If they are low-income, Medicaid may provide that supplemental coverage. But, Meyers said, there’s a catch: While beneficiaries who enrolled first in traditional Medicare are guaranteed to qualify for a Medigap policy without pricing based on their medical history, Medigap insurers can deny coverage to beneficiaries transferring from Medicare Advantage plans or base their prices on medical underwriting. Only four states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York — prohibit insurers from denying a Medigap policy if the enrollee has preexisting conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. - See the full KFF Health News article.
With Overflow Shelters Full, Families Huddle in Cars and at Logan Massachusetts has historically been viewed as a model for its unique state-run family shelter system. But in a stark break from the past, many families now find they’ve been deemed eligible for shelter, a rigorous process in itself, yet they remain without a roof over their heads. Facing record-high demand over the last year, the state placed a cap on the number of homeless families it can serve, adding new applicants to a waitlist. Last month, lawmakers ordered the Healey administration to create overflow shelters for waitlisted families. Officials complied and can now provide beds for 195 families. But that is just a fraction of the need: As of January 22nd, there were 592 families on the state’s shelter waitlist. Plus, whole regions of the state have no local overflow shelters. “There isn't really a safety net any longer. I mean if the safety net is: ‘You're approved and we'll call you — sometime,’ that's not a safety net,” said Emily Herzig, a senior paralegal at the Northeast Justice Center. Across the state, advocates said some families have been sleeping in their cars, even as temperatures have dropped below freezing. It’s become common enough that one nonprofit developed a handout on how to safely spend the night in a vehicle during the winter. Other homeless families are sleeping at Logan Airport. On a recent night, dozens of families, including children, slept on blankets while a regular stream of airport announcements played overhead, and suitcase-toting travelers passed by. Even families who get into overflow shelters may encounter conditions that are far from ideal, advocates said. At one site, families must vacate each morning and do not have access to showers on site. The growing list of families waiting to enter the shelter system is served by a patchwork of state agencies and nonprofit organizations doing what they can to help. But advocates said they're increasingly worried about families who lack the assistance they need. Limited overflow shelter space Since early December, the state has opened three overflow sites, in Quincy, Revere and Cambridge. An effort funded through United Way of Massachusetts Bay has so far resulted in five privately-run overflow sites, including three in Boston and two in Worcester County. All together, these sites can support just over 250 families, which the state estimates is about 800 individuals. A spokesperson for the state said the overflow sites are almost always full. While some of the overflow shelters are hotel rooms or other private accommodations, others offer communal accommodations. At one site, 200 cots line two rooms. A spokesperson for the state said officials are working to install temporary showers, so the staff can stop taking families elsewhere to bathe. The families must leave each morning and cannot return until evening. State officials acknowledged the overflow sites are insufficient for every family on the waitlist. "We have opened multiple safety-net sites, but there remains an unmet need, and we urgently need more sites,” said Lieutenant General Leon Scott Rice, who oversees the state’s family shelter system, in a statement. Some communities lack overflow sites Advocates for unhoused families lament the fact that large swaths of the state have no overflow sites, citing western Massachusetts as one example. Ady-Bell, of the Central West Justice Center, said it seems unfair that her clients have to travel hours away if they get into an overflow shelter. The burden of that travel, she said, falls hardest on children. “They're now being yanked away from maybe what is the most stable part of their lives, which is their school, their classmates, their friends,” Ady-Bell said. “And then many of my clients are working — this is the working poor — and they're at risk of losing their jobs, which is totally counterproductive.” State officials said they’re working to open more overflow sites, but they also pointed out that nearly three-quarters of waitlisted families are in Greater Boston. “I've had clients who've had to go back to unsafe situations,” said Ady-Bell. “They maybe had an abuser and they're left with making really tough choices about where they can go.” Some advocates worry the lack of family shelter space is having a ripple effect. As the waitlist outpaces both the rate at which families are leaving the shelter system and the expansion of overflow shelter, advocates said the strain on families and local institutions is likely to become more acute. - See the full WBUR story.
New Overflow Shelter for Homeless Families at Roxbury Recreational Center State officials have converted a Roxbury recreational center into a new overflow shelter for migrant and homeless families, where as many as 400 people could stay through the spring, Governor Maura Healey told lawmakers and city officials Monday. Healey administration officials said late Monday night that the Melnea A. Cass Recreational Complex will begin serving as a temporary shelter on Wednesday, “especially [for] those staying at Logan Airport overnight.” Healey laid out specific plans for using the center and pledged to close the shelter by May 31, in time for the state to reopen the complex, and its pool, to the public by late June. The state plans to staff the shelter 24 hours each day, provide three meals a day for families, and use the same provider, AMI Healthcare, that currently works at two other state overflow sites in Quincy and at a former courthouse in Cambridge, Healey said. Her office said Monday that the state also has opened a safety-net site in Revere. The first-term Democrat said the state would also provide “around-the-clock security,” laundry services, and legal assistance for the up to 400 people the shelter could house. Staff on site would also help families with school enrollment. “Our administration is also committed to working with the city and the Roxbury delegation to relocate all recreation programs to alternative sites,” she added. L. Scott Rice, the state’s emergency assistance director, later said in a statement that officials also plan to “make improvements to the center for the long-term benefit of the community.” Healey’s office said that includes hiring more staff and “renovating facilities.” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu lamented in a radio appearance Monday that the state was turning to the predominantly Black neighborhood to give up a local asset to address the migrant crisis. “For the first community where this is being proposed to be Roxbury — a community that over so many decades has faced disinvestment, red-lining, disproportionate outcomes — it’s very painful, and it’s painfully familiar,” Wu said on WBUR’s “Radio Boston.” - See the full Boston Globe article.
As Shelter System Struggles, Healey to Launch Pilot Program to House, Employ Migrants As the number of new migrant arrivals continues to grow with no sign of stopping, the Healey administration plans to spend $10 million on a new program to help migrant families exit the state’s overburdened emergency shelters and launch independent lives complete with jobs and housing. The still-not-public pilot program, modeled after a decades-old federal program that partners with local agencies to resettle refugees, would help up to 400 migrant families secure long-term housing and employment in Massachusetts. The pilot program, which the Boston Herald first reported Sunday, has not yet been publicly announced. However, Healey administration officials and others briefed on the plans confirmed the broad outlines to the Globe. For example, the pilot would largely be funded by a $10 million line item from a spending bill signed into law by Governor Maura Healey in December and would help bolster resettlement agencies like Greene’s by providing money to increase staffing and other supports. There’s no specific formula in the legislation for how to spend the money, which is broadly assigned to “resettle and support refugees and immigrants.” The pilot program, which mirrors a similar refugee resettlement program in New York, would work alongside the state’s housing office and its decade-old HomeBASE program to divert homeless families from shelters or hotels by covering burdensome move-in costs, such as security deposits or the first and last month’s rent for families who qualify for emergency assistance shelters. While the final contract language remains in flux, two sources with direct knowledge of the state’s plan said the pilot program would take $8 million from the $10 million allocated in the supplemental budget to help migrant families currently in the emergency shelter system move into more permanent housing and provide assistance navigating state and federal resources for up to a year. Another $2.5 million — $2 million taken from the spending plan and $500,000 taken from the fiscal year 2024 budget — would go toward helping refugees arriving in Massachusetts to get resources before they enter the shelter system in the first place. For decades, the state’s eight resettlement agencies have administered the federal refugee resettlement program in Massachusetts, meaning they employ federal money to provide cash and medical assistance to new refugees, as well as case management services, English classes, and job training — services designed to help refugees attain self-sufficiency. They also deliver services and benefits to those classified as “humanitarian parolees,” which is the legal status of most migrant families seeking shelter in Massachusetts. The new pilot program won’t look much different than the work the agencies already do, they’d just be doing that work on a larger scale. Those running the agencies say the extra boost from the state will allow for more staffing and interpreters who can help migrant families through the process of searching for jobs and housing, as well as obtaining legal support. Helping people get on their feet, in the long run, will be less expensive than providing services to the more than 7,000 families living in shelters. “If we’re successful, we will have a model that can be used to welcome migrant families who come to the Commonwealth that is less costly than what we’re spending right now on the emergency shelter program,” said Jeff Thielman, CEO of the International Institute of New England. - See the full Boston Globe article.
There are Even Fewer Affordable Apartments in Massachusetts Than We Thought, According to New Data A new, publicly-available database is backing up what many frustrated Massachusetts residents already know: the state's shortage of affordable housing is even worse than previously known. The data dashboard was released Tuesday by the nonprofit group Housing Navigator Massachusetts, which also runs an online search tool intended to help renters find affordable housing options. The data show that the state has tens of thousands fewer affordable homes than reflected in its official inventory. And the data suggests that some higher-income communities are using affordable housing policies in racially and economically exclusionary ways. "Incredibly, I think to most people, a simple question like 'how many units of affordable housing does the state of Massachusetts have?' couldn't be answered," said Jennifer Gilbert, executive director of Housing Navigator Massachusetts. "And it's hard to make data driven policy, it's hard to inform conversation, if you can't have that basic set of information about housing across the state and in every municipality." The new data dashboard includes information from over 280 of the state's 351 cities and towns. For each town, the dashboard shows a breakdown of affordable units, including the number of bedrooms and what percentage of units are age restricted. The closest thing the state has to an official estimate of affordable units is called the "subsidized housing inventory." "The subsidized housing inventory is publicly published. You can Google it," said Aja Kennedy, racial wealth gap research fellow at Boston Indicators at a presentation Tuesday morning on the new dashboard. "And for each municipality, it shows the share of that municipality's housing units that are included in the subsidized housing inventory." One problem, Kennedy explained is that in buildings that include both affordable and market rate units in order to meet the requirements of the state's 40B statute, the official inventory also counts the market-rate units. Under the 40B affordable housing statute, developers can override local zoning ordinances to build higher density projects if less than 10% of the housing stock in that community is considered affordable. Kennedy said her analysis of data from 280 of the state's 351 communities showed about 34,000 fewer affordable housing units than listed in the official subsidized housing inventory. The data also show how affluent Massachusetts communities are excluding families of color by reserving affordable units for seniors, said Katie Einstein, Urban-H Index associate director of housing at Boston University. "There are 44 communities in Massachusetts that have produced affordable housing that is 100% age restricted," Einstein said in her presentation Tuesday morning. "Those communities tend to be overwhelmingly white." White communities that are surrounded by other white communities are less likely to attach age restrictions to housing, Einstein said. "In contrast, if you are a white community and you are surrounded by communities with a disproportionately high Black population, you are significantly more likely to have an age restriction on your subsidized housing," she said. "I would argue that these findings suggest that, in the aggregate, the way that age restrictions have been applied in Massachusetts, present serious fair housing concerns." To housing advocates like Felix Jordan, the challenges illustrated by the data are not surprising. Jordan is a community organizer and housing advocate at the Boston Center for Independent Living. "I've seen a lot of stories behind these numbers," Jordan said. "Thinking about all of the consumers I work with that are like, 'they say these units are out there. I'm not seeing them, I'm not getting them.' So it's interesting to have that sort of data piece behind what we've been hearing for a while." -- See the full WGBH story.
Middlesex County Restoration Pilot – Law Enforcement-Focused Crisis Diversion Facility Closer to Becoming Reality The Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Middlesex County Restoration Center has chosen Vinfen as its clinical partner as it works towards creating the first law enforcement-focused crisis diversion facility in the commonwealth. Rather than arrest or otherwise criminalize people with behavioral health problems, or send them to hospital emergency departments for non-emergent care, the diversion facility will provide a full behavioral health continuum of services under one provider. The restoration center will have a “no wrong door” policy, providing walk-in and police drop-off opportunities to serve those in need of behavioral health care in the community. Vinfen also operates the Greater Lowell Community Behavioral Health Center, and provides 24/7 mobile crisis intervention, urgent outpatient behavioral health treatment, and community crisis stabilization. The restoration center complements the CBHC service components by providing additional capacity and capabilities to ensure true diversion from criminalization and access for individuals. Initially, the plan is to have the pilot center operate from a Vinfen facility; eventually, a stand-alone restoration center is envisioned. Services will include triage and assessment, crisis stabilization beds for up to 24 hours, sober support beds, crisis respite beds for up to two weeks, and case management and aftercare planning. Once implemented, the pilot will serve as a model for other crisis centers in the state and complement the commonwealth’s network of community behavioral health centers. - From Restoration Center, EMTALA Resources, The NLC, MHA's WEEKLY WRAP-UP, January 26, 2024.
Boston Families Will Soon Have Access to Grants from Opioid Settlement Funds Family members who have lost loved ones in the opioid epidemic will be able to apply for cash grants from the city of Boston, possibly by summer. Families will be able to apply to the fund for help with funeral costs, legal expenses or child care. The money for the "Family Overdose Support Fund" comes from an initial $6 million in funds that is part of Boston’s portion of a statewide settlement with opioid manufacturers for their part in the crisis, and was announced on Friday by Mayor Michelle Wu’s office and the Boston Public Health Commission. $250,000 will be available this year to start. Family assistance was the top priority for more than 600 Boston residents and addiction services providers who responded to a survey about settlement spending or attended listening sessions. Boston reported 352 opioid-related deaths in 2022 alone. Cheryl Juaire, who founded the statewide parent bereavement group Team Sharing, said the dollars will have an impact. “These families have lost everything,” Juaire said. “They’ve spent their life savings trying to save their child, and then have to pay for a funeral with money they don’t even have. On top of that, they may be grandparents raising grandchildren. It’s one big financial burden on a grieving heart.” Juaire worked on the details of a national fund for families who lost someone to a fatal overdose. Applying for relief from that fund is a complex and often tedious process. Boston plans to hire an independent organization to develop eligibility criteria and review applications for the fund it will establish. The city aims to begin paying families in early summer. "We believe that if we allocate these funds appropriately, we can really help to right some tragic wrongs that have occurred as a result of this epidemic,” Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, commissioner of public health and executive director of the BPHC, said. “One of those tragic wrongs is the loss of family members. And we know that there are many grandparents, caring for young children who are not only grieving and have suffered an enormous emotional toll, but they've also suffered a financial burden because of this.” Ojikutu said, based on the community meetings, the city was working through other priorities in terms of how to distribute the opioid settlement money, including expanding distribution of Narcan, a drug which can prevent overdose deaths, and better access to affordable housing. “I honestly think supportive housing, low threshold housing, affordable housing is one of the greatest hurdles we have to overcome when we think about the overdose crisis,” said Dr. Sarah Wakeman, the senior medical director for substance use disorder at Mass General Brigham. Wakeman said even with effective, life-saving treatments available for substance use disorder, especially for patients she sees every day, being homeless can be an insurmountable barrier to mental health. “If you are dealing with ongoing daily trauma and houselessness and the basic sort of survival needs of living on the street, it's very hard to engage in substance use disorder care, even if it is available,” Wakeman said. “And I often think as a doctor, if I could prescribe someone housing, I would be a much more effective clinician than the many other tools I have in my toolbox.” Addiction experts are frustrated because Boston has more than $6 million sitting in the bank right now. “I would strongly urge that those funds be moved out as quickly as possible and that whatever roadblocks are holding up the distribution be removed as soon as possible,” said Dr. Miriam Komaromy, medical director at the Grayken Center for Addiction at Boston Medical Center. - See the full WGBH story and the full WBUR story.
Biden Administration Rescinds Much of Trump ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers The Biden administration will largely undo a Trump-era rule that boosted the rights of medical workers to refuse to perform abortions or other services that conflicted with their religious or moral beliefs. The final rule released this month partially rescinds the Trump administration’s 2019 policy that would have stripped federal funding from health facilities that required workers to provide any service they objected to, such as abortions, contraception, gender-affirming care and sterilization. There are federal laws in place that allow health care providers to refuse care in certain circumstances based on their religious beliefs. The Trump administration’s rule would have dramatically expanded how those laws were interpreted and implemented. Critics said they would have emboldened health care professionals to discriminate against women, minorities and underserved communities, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities. The Trump administration’s 2019 rule was blocked by three federal courts and never took effect after several states, cities and advocacy groups — including New York, California, San Francisco, the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood — sued. The rule would have allowed doctors, nurses, medical students, pharmacists and other health workers to refuse to provide any procedure to which they objected, including abortions, contraception, gender-affirming care, and HIV and STD services. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, applauded the final policy in a statement. “It’s critical that everyone has all the relevant information they need to make informed decisions about their health and families and access to the health care services they need. Today’s action from the Biden-Harris administration is an important step in that direction,” McGill Johnson said. - See the full The Hill article.
Company that Runs Healthcare at Mass. Prisons Under Scrutiny as Contract Nears Renewal Long waits for care, service denials, and staffing gaps — those are just a few of the complaints lodged against the company that manages healthcare across Massachusetts’ state prison system. And now, two federal lawmakers are pressing for answers. Those queries include whether Wellpath, which took over healthcare services in 2018, plans to cut its healthcare operational costs even as the state’s prison population grows older and sicker; the percentage of required staffing it’s provided to meet those needs, and even whether — and how much — the company has donated to county sheriff races across the state. “In addition to the issues surrounding Wellpath’s healthcare nationally, we are also deeply concerned about Wellpath’s operations in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in particular,” the lawmakers continued. “We write to raise concerns about the inadequacy of Wellpath’s healthcare provided to individuals incarcerated in Massachusetts state prisons and to seek answers to questions about these problems. National Scrutiny Wellpath found itself the center of national scrutiny earlier this year when The Appeal, a website that covers criminal justice reform issues, revealed that incarcerated people in the state’s prison system “had to wait years” for Wellpath to provide them with dentures or other basic dental care. In their letter to Wellpath, Warren and Markey raised similar concerns, noting that some of the most serious complaints against the company include allegations that time-sensitive care was delayed; that some requests for care were denied outright, and that staff failed to follow physicians’ treatment plans or the company’s own policies, as well as claims that the company inappropriately used restraints and solitary confinement to deal with people with mental health needs. - See the full MassLive article.
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