State officials recently announced a plan to encourage thousands of eligible residents to take advantage of the multi-billion dollar federal food stamps program, in an effort to redress one of the paradoxes of Massachusetts human services: The fact that the majority of poor people eligible for food relief don't apply for it.

Today, only 43 percent of state residents who qualify for food stamps receive them, ranking Massachusetts behind all but two states in the percentage of eligible residents enrolled in the program. The low participation rate, officials say, means a loss of more than $100 million in federal dollars and a greater burden on the state's emergency food program.

The state's plan, which comes at a time of steep budget cuts and the laying off of nearly a third of the department's staff in recent years (many of them desperately needed bilingual social workers), includes simplifying the application process, increasing the availability of applications, and extending the number of months welfare recipients can retain food stamps without reapplying for them.

Residents seeking food stamps now only have to fill out a four-page application, instead of one 12 pages long. The application will also be available online, at www.gettingfoodstamps.org, and everywhere from community health centers to nursing homes to grocery stores. Eligible residents will also be able to apply by mail or over the phone.

Other changes include fewer financial reporting requirements, meaning food stamp recipients will only have to certify their income twice a year, instead of four times. And for welfare recipients, who now automatically receive food stamps for three months after having their cash benefits end, will receive an additional two months of food stamps before having to reapply.

Because of years of neglect of the food stamps program - participation in Massachusetts fell by 26 percent between 1994 and 1999 - the state's effort to increase participation may only have a modest impact. But for now, without the dollars to make more significant changes, state officials would be happy if they could boost participation this year by 5 percent - still well below the national average of 57 percent. An additional 5 percent would mean the number of residents in the program would grow by 14,000, putting the total number of food stamps recipients at 265,000.

The modest increase in participation, however, could amount to an extra $50 million for the state economy, Wagner estimates. It could also offset the need for the state to spend money on emergency food. This fiscal year, the state is spending $6.4 million on food, more than every state except Pennsylvania.

To be eligible for food stamps, individu-als may earn up to $1,477 per month, while a family of four may earn up to $3,017. The maximum monthly benefits for an individual are $139 in food stamps. A family can earn as much as $553.

Although advocates applaud the state's efforts in such financially strapped times, they say much more needs to be done. First, they say, the Legislature should restore money it cut from a hunger hotline, which helped nearly 29,000 people obtain food last year, most through food stamps. They also say the state should increase outreach efforts and combine food stamps applications with other state services, such as Medicaid. Most of all, however, they say the state must change its culture.

A report released in September by the University of Massachusetts said that nearly one-third of food stamps applicants said they weren't treated with "full respect," and more than 40 percent had to wait more than an hour before seeing a social worker at a state office and for immigrants, most didn't have any assistance from a translator.

"The state has long sent the wrong message - that it's wrong to seek food stamps," said Ellen Parker, executive director of Project Bread. "We hope this is now changing."

11/2002