THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JunE 30, 2023 Page 11 Governor funds implementation of law to provide resources to expand access to safety net programs Funding will realize promise of Common Application law and improve access to critical safety net benefits for all low-income Mass. residents ast week the Healey Administration announced $40 million in federal and state funding to implement the law that State Senator Sal DiDomenico championed for years, and the legislature passed in 2022, that would streamline access to core safety net programs. Legislation passed in August of 2022 – Chapter 174 of the Acts of 2022 – directed the Administration to create a Common Application for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), MassHealth, cash assistance, childcare and housing subsidies, fuel assistance and other needs-tested benefits, and now this funding infusion will ensure the state can reach this goal. The funding included in L Governor Maura Healey’s fiveyear Capital Investment Plan represents a significant step toward making basic benefit programs more efficient and effective, closing participation gaps, maximizing federal revenue for needy families and ensuring more residents connect to the programs they need. The announcement comes as many years of work on this issue we are thrilled to partner with the Administration and advocates to make the Common Application a reality and look forward to building on this momentum of equitably expanding access to public benefits.” For many years, Massachusetts had separate application processes for MassHealth and SNAP, as well as for many othSAFETY | SEE PAGE 22 Sal DiDomenico State Senator part of the Administration’s broader efforts to improve quality of service across government programs, including enhancing transparency, accessibility and cybersecurity. “The allocation today by the Healey Administration of $18 Million will move the implementation of the Common Application forward in Massachusetts and help thousands of low-income individuals across the Commonwealth meet their basic needs,” said Senator DiDomenico, Senate lead sponsor of the Common Application legislation and Assistant Majority Leader. “After
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