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The
Chapter 115 Benefits Program is a state veterans’ benefits program administered
by the Massachusetts Department Veterans’ Services (DVS). The program
provides financial aid for living expenses and medical care to veterans
and their dependents who have limited income. DVS administers the
program in partnership with local
Veterans' Service Officers (VSO.
In some instances, VSOs make vendor payments on behalf of a veteran for
housing costs, utility costs, medical care costs, and other expenses.
These vendor payments must be excluded from countable income for SNAP
eligibility purposes once verified.
EAEDC
Eligibility
EAEDC applicants and clients who are eligible for, or do receive state
veterans’ benefits, are ineligible for EAEDC.
TAFDC Eligibility
Clients who are eligible for both TAFDC and state veterans’ benefits
must be given the choice of which program in which they wish to participate.
They cannot be in receipt of both services.
Chapter 115 State Veterans’
Benefits
When processing an application or recertification for a veteran who
reports that s/he receives one or more state veterans’ benefits, you must
explore what type(s) of benefit is received. Below is a table of the most
common Chapter 115 Benefits.
Type |
Description |
Countable for SNAP? |
Cash Assistance
|
A monthly cash payment available to eligible veterans based on living situation, special needs, and income. |
Yes
For more, see Unearned Income Overview |
Medical Expense Reimbursements |
A full or partial payment earmarked for eligible
veterans to pay for some medical expenses, such as insurance premiums,
co-pays, hearing aids, and eyeglasses. These payments may also
be sent directly to the third party. |
No
For more, see: |
Emergency Assistance |
A financial aid payment for veterans that are
behind on rent or utilities, or in cases of natural disasters. |
No
Emergency assistance payments for rent or utility arrearage are considered noncountable reimbursements.
See Verifying State Veterans’ Benefits and Verifying State Veterans’ Vendor Payments below
For more, see Noncountable Income
|
Emergency Assistance (Loan) |
A financial aid payment for veterans in need of emergency home repairs.
Emergency Assistance payments for home repairs often include a lien on the individual’s home.
|
No
|
Annuities |
A biannual payment for certain eligible veterans,
their widows, spouses, and parents. |
Yes
For more, see Unearned Income Overview |
Burial Allowance |
A monetary payment made to certain low-income
households to pay for the burial of a veteran, or the dependents
of a veteran. |
No
Payments made directly to a third-party (vendor) for purposes of funeral and final disposition expenses, on behalf of a client in receipt of VA benefits are considered a noncountable vendor payment.
See Verifying State Veterans’ Benefits
and Verifying
State Veterans’ Vendor Payments below
|
Moving Assistance |
An assistance payment made to certain eligible veterans who have significant medical, financial, or social circumstances that can be reduced by relocation or who have insufficient resources to move on their own. |
No
Moving Assistance payments made directly to a third-party (vendor), such as a moving company, on behalf of a client in receipt of VA benefits are considered a noncountable vendor payment.
See Verifying State Veterans’ Benefits
and Verifying
State Veterans’ Vendor Payments below
|
Transportation to Medical Appointments |
An assistance payment made to certain eligible veterans who have significant medical, financial, or social circumstances that can be alleviated by transportation assistance or who have insufficient resources to provide transportation on their own. |
No
Transportation payments made directly to a third-party (vendor), such as but not limited to a taxi or other transportation company, on behalf of a client in receipt of VA benefits are considered a noncountable vendor payment.
See Verifying State Veterans’ Benefits
and Verifying
State Veterans’ Vendor Payments below
|
State Education Benefits – Post 9/11 G.I. Bill (Chapter 33) |
A program providing benefits for veterans pursuing certain education programs at an approved degree-granting institution. |
No
Payments specifically allocated
towards educational expenses and/or sent to the school on the
student’s behalf are excluded (see 106 CMR 363.230(B) and
106
CMR 363.230 (D)). |
State Education Benefits – The Yellow Ribbon Program G.I. Bill Education Enhancement Program |
A program that allows approved institutions of higher learning and the VA to partially or fully fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the established thresholds under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. |
No
Payments specifically allocated
towards educational expenses and/or sent to the school on the
student’s behalf are excluded (see 106 CMR 363.230(B) and 106
CMR 363.230 (D)). |
Vendor Payments |
Payments made to a third-party (vendor), such as a landlord or utility company, on behalf of a client in receipt of VA benefits. |
No
See Verifying State Veterans’ Benefits below
For more, see: |
|
The table above is not a complete list of Chapter 115 benefits and may be subject to change.
If a client reports a Chapter 115 payment type that is not covered by the table above, staff are advised to contact the Procedural Mailbox. |
Clients
enquiring about possible eligibility for Veterans' Benefit programs should
be encouraged to contact their local VSO, or visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-veterans-services.
A list of VSIs can be found at https://massvetsadvisor.org/
Case Manager Responsibilities
When processing an application or recertification
for a household that includes a veteran who reports that s/he receives
state veterans’ benefits, you must ask the individual if the VSO makes
a vendor payment directly to the veteran’s landlord and/or utility company.
If the answer is yes, the vendor payments must be verified prior to being
excluded from countable income for SNAP eligibility purposes. Vendor payments
made on behalf of a veteran may be verified by completion of the Veterans
Vendor Payment Form by a VSO DVS, or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA), or by submission of a letter from any federal, state, or local veterans’
service organization.
For more, please see Noncountable
Income and Vendor
Payments.
All Chapter 115 vendor payments must be re-verified at recertification.
Verifying
State Veterans’ Benefits
All
state veterans’ benefit payments must be verified in accordance with established
procedures. For more see Unearned
Income Overview and Verification
Chart.
Verifying
State Veterans’ Vendor
Payments
The VSO must provide verification of vendor payments. Chapter 115 vendor
payments are most commonly verified by an Explanation/Approval of Benefits
letter provided by the VSO. Chapter 115 vendor payments may also be verified
by completion of the Veterans
Vendor Payment Form by a client’s local VSO.
When a client reports Chapter 115 vendor payments are made on their behalf,
the Veterans Vendor Payment Form must be sent to client as a supplement.
Clients may use this form or may submit a letter from the VSO or other
person/agency making the payment on their behalf stating the amount of
vendor payment(s) and to whom it is paid.
|
|
Chapter
115 vendor payments that are not verified must be included in the
client’s countable income until they are verified. In these circumstances,
you must include a detailed narrative detailing why the vendor payment
has not been excluded from the client’s income.
Entering
State Veterans’ Benefits in BEACON
Entering
veterans’ income for clients receiving state veterans’ benefits:
1. subtract the total amount of vendor payments, if any, from the total amount of the Veterans’ Benefits
2. enter the resulting income amount on BEACON as VA State in the Other Income Status window in the Assessed Person Income and Expenses workflow
Entering shelter expenses for clients receiving state veterans’ benefits:
3.subtract the amount of any vendor payment for shelter from the veteran’s full shelter cost and enter the remainder, if any, as the veteran’s shelter amount in the Housing Expenses window
Entering utility expenses for clients receiving state veterans’ benefits:
4.select the appropriate SUA based on the utility expense(s) that the veteran incurs
5.create a detailed narrative identifying the vendor payments made on the veteran’s behalf and the verification provided to confirm the vendor payment, and
6.wrap up the case
Example: Larry, a retired US Army veteran, applies for
SNAP and verifies that his only source of income is $1,255 in Massachusetts
Veterans’ Benefits. This amount includes a basic benefit for a single
individual, plus allowances for an unheated shelter and fuel.
Larry’s rent is $900 per month, not including heat.
The Veterans' Administration makes vendor
payments of $405 directly to the landlord for Larry’s rent and $250 to
a utility company for heating/cooling.
When entering this information into BEACON, you must:
1. subtract the Vendor Payment amounts from the client’s income:
$1255 income
$ 405 vendor payment for rent
-$ 250 vendor payment for utilities
$ 600
countable income
2. enter $600 as VA State in the Other Income Status window
3. For shelter expenses, subtract the Vendor Payment amounts from the client’s shelter expense:
$900
rent
-$405 vendor payment paid directly to the landlord
$495 Allowable shelter expense
4. enter $495 for the allowable shelter expense in the Shelter Expenses page
5. answer ‘yes’ to the “Pay/Share heating cost question on the Standard Utility Allowance page
6. Follow all other application processing guidelines. For more, please see SNAP Application Processing.