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DTA Connect: Updating Address

INDEX

Active clients of any DTA program can use the DTA Connect My Info page to update residential and/or mailing address.

Mandatory and Optional Client Entries (Back to Index)

When a client uses DTA Connect to update their residential address, DTA Connect will require them to either update their mailing address or confirm that it is the same as their residential address. Updating residential address will also prompt DTA Connect to ask about shelter and utility expenses, but the client will have the option to not answer.

If a client newly flags themself as homeless, DTA Connect will not require them to update or provide a residential address. However, if a client newly flags themself as homeless and updates/removes their residential address, DTA Connect will require them to re-confirm their mailing address. If the client does not complete the mailing address fields, DTA Connect will display a pop-up message advising them that DTA cannot send them important information without a mailing address and to provide a mailing address or call the DTA Assistance Line for further assistance.

Homeless Status (Back to Index)

To complete the address workflow, DTA Connect requires clients to indicate whether they are homeless.

If the client uses DTA Connect to only update their homeless status, BEACON will autowrap the case. In this scenario, BEACON will not create an Action or remove the shelter/utility costs on record.

When a client uses DTA Connect to report a change in address, shelter costs, and/or utility costs, the homeless indicator will not be checked or unchecked automatically: The client must indicate homelessness separately. The only exception is if the client uses DTA Connect to report the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) address for mailing: In this case, if the client is currently flagged as homeless, BEACON will automatically uncheck the homeless flag once the change (to the ACP mailing address) transfers into the client’s ECF.

Using DTA Connect to Update Address while in Address Confidentiality Program (Back to Index)

If a client is not currently flagged in BEACON as being part of the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) and reports the ACP address (P.O. Box 9120, Chelsea, MA. 02150-9120) as a new mailing address on DTA Connect, BEACON will automatically check the ACP checkbox on the Address page and clear the existing residential address (and if applicable, uncheck the homeless indicator).

If a client is currently flagged in BEACON as being part of the ACP, they will be unable to use DTA Connect to update their residential address, shelter costs, and/or utility costs. They will only be able to update their mailing address.

For SNAP-only cases in the FAW model, changing the mailing address from the ACP mailing address to a non-ACP mailing address will trigger an Action. For more information, see the table in the Rules/Procedures for SNAP-only Cases section of this Online Guide page.

Rules/Procedures for TAFDC, EAEDC, or Combo Cases (Back to Index)

If a TAFDC, EAEDC or Combo client uses DTA Connect to update their residential address, and the information is not considered questionable or contradictory, and makes sense with the case as a whole, you must visit the required BEACON windows and consider the update(s) self-declared. Mark the update(s) as verified in the verification tab and wrap-up the case.

It is important to note that any updates to the residential address on DTA Connect will trigger shelter and utility expense questions.  For combo cases, in order for clients to receive a shelter and/or utility expense deduction after a reported change in residential address, they must either report the expenses on DTA Connect or if they opt to skip those questions at the time, an optional VC-1 for shelter and utility expenses must be sent.  

If after reviewing all the reported information, the information is considered questionable, contradictory, unclear, or does not make sense with the case as a whole, and is missing mandatory information, you must follow these steps:

Attempt two cold calls to the client.

• If a cold call is successful, confirm with the client the contradictory information. As with all situations, it is important to ask clarifying questions to thoroughly evaluate the client’s circumstances. Be sure to record the client’s explanation in the narrative. If the information makes sense with the case as a whole, you must visit the required BEACON windows and consider the update(s) self-declared. Mark the update(s) as verified in the verification tab and wrap up the case.

• If cold calls are unsuccessful, and the client is actively receiving benefits, you must schedule a telephonic Case Maintenance appointment to clarify the mandatory contradictory information. If a client does not have a contact number, an In-Office Case Maintenance appointment must be scheduled.

• In rare circumstances, when you cannot connect with the client, no additional information has been sent to clarify mandatory information, and the client has missed their scheduled appointment, you must send a User Entered VC-1.

• Issue a User Entered VC-1 with a Verification Element of Additional Verification, enter “Reported Household Changes made through DTA Connect” under the Additional Verification Details, select Mandatory for the applicable Program(s), and add the following text in Document(s) of evidence “You told us about changes to your household on DTA Connect, we need more information about this change.”

Example 1:

Maria Nunez (she/her) and her two children receive TAFDC and SNAP. Recently Maria began working a full-time job. Ms. Nunez uses DTA Connect to update her residential address, reporting that she no longer resides in a Boston shelter, and now resides in an apartment in Chelsea with a subsidized rent of $650 a month. Based on all of the reported information this change is not questionable. Her family is no longer residing in a shelter because her family’s income has increased. This makes logical sense as it relates to the case as a whole. You must consider the updates self-declared, mark the updates as verified in the verification tab, transfer the case to the appropriate TAO if appropriate, and the case should be wrapped-up. 

Example 2:

Theresa Lee (she/her) and her three children receive TAFDC and SNAP. Ms. Lee uses DTA Connect to update her residential address, reporting that she no longer resides in subsidized housing in Dorchester, and now resides in an unsubsidized apartment in Allston, with a monthly rent of $3,400 a month. Theresa and her family currently have no reported income. Based on the totality of this information this change is questionable. This does not make logical sense as it relates to the case as a whole. To clarify this information, you must follow the guidance above.

Rules/Procedures for SNAP-only Cases (Back to Index)

• Autowrapping

During case maintenance, if an active SNAP-only client in the FAW model uses DTA Connect to add or edit their residential address, BEACON will autowrap these changes and recalculate the case if:

• the residential address is validated by USPS;

• the residential address type is public or private;

• the residential address is in Massachusetts; and

• the client also updates their shelter and utility information, and the information meets the criteria for autowrapping shelter costs and/or utility costs.

• Updating Mailing Address to ACP Address (Back to Index)

If an active SNAP-only client in the FAW model uses DTA Connect to only add or edit their mailing address, the information will automatically feed into BEACON and wrap-up will be unnecessary. The only exception is if the client reports the ACP address as a new mailing address: BEACON will automatically check the ACP checkbox on the Address page, clear the existing current/permanent addresses (and if applicable, uncheck the homeless indicator), and autowrap the case (provided that there are no other outstanding Actions) with the existing or new shelter/utility information.

• Actions (Back to Index)

If one or more of the autowrap conditions are missing, BEACON will create at least one of the following Actions to review the client’s case:

After applying the appropriate procedures, you must complete or dismiss the Action.

 Last Update:  July 18, 2024