Senate Ways and Means proposal could support approximately 200 new DTA caseworkers.

The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) commends the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Ways and Means (SWM) for including significant funding for the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in its FY 2026 closeout supplemental budget. At a time when federal policy changes threaten food assistance for families across the Commonwealth, strengthening DTA’s workforce is essential to ensuring eligible residents can access the benefits they need.

The SWM proposal allocates more than $176.5 million for DTA, including $28 million more than Governor Healey’s recently submitted supplemental budget. The proposed funding matches the amount included in the House of Representatives’ FY 2026 supplemental budget, passed on October 21. While the governor’s proposal would fund approximately 10 additional caseworkers, the Senate’s investment could support approximately 200 new caseworkers—significantly expanding the department’s capacity to assist residents and process benefits accurately.

The need for additional staffing is urgent. More than one million Massachusetts residents relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in 2025, representing approximately 16 percent of the state’s population. Yet over the past 12 months, approximately 180,000 people, including 64,000 children, have left the program. The decline of 124,000 eligible households since fall 2024 translates to an estimated $458 million in lost federal food assistance for Massachusetts. SNAP participation has been falling for more than two years, with DTA understaffing contributing to barriers to access.

Residents are also struggling to reach the workers responsible for helping them navigate the system. So far in 2026, DTA has been unable to answer approximately three out of every four calls from residents seeking assistance. Although technology can improve efficiency, it cannot substitute for the trained staff needed to resolve complex cases, help eligible households maintain benefits, and ensure accurate eligibility decisions.

These challenges make investments in DTA especially important as Massachusetts confronts federal threats to SNAP. MassBudget’s recent report and interactive SNAP Vulnerability Index examines which communities may be most affected by federal cuts. The index evaluates municipalities across five factors associated with residents’ potential need for SNAP and the consequences of interrupted benefits. The findings highlight the importance of protecting access to food assistance and ensuring the state has the capacity to deliver benefits effectively.

MassBudget continues to urge state leaders to adopt these critical investments and pursue long-term strategies to build a well-resourced, responsive DTA workforce. Ensuring SNAP works for eligible residents requires both adequate staffing and a strong commitment to program accuracy. Massachusetts must invest in the people and systems that make food assistance accessible to the families and communities who depend on it.