Meeting Basic Needs:
Financial Assistance & Health Insurance
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Financial Assistance Programs
Financial Assistance Programs
Mass Department of Transitional Assistance
In addition to SNAP, DTA offers 3 economic assistance(cash benefit) programs: Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC), Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children (EAEDC), and the State Supplement Program (SSP). The benefits include 2 monthly payments, health insurance, and employment support.
Transitional Aid to families with Dependent Children:
TAFDC is for families with children under 18, including teen parents. If you’re pregnant, you can apply for TAFDC for yourself if your child is due in less than 4 months. To get TAFDC a family must meet basic requirements:
Live in Massachusetts
Include a U.S. citizen or person with certain legal noncitizen status
Meet income and asset limits
DTA helps to meet the childcare and transportation needs of TAFDC clients who work or participate in approved work activities. (For children under 13) The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) provides child care financial assistance for families in need. In order to be eligible for funding, you and your family must meet certain requirements. To meet the service need/activity requirement for child care financial assistance, all of the adult members in your household must be:
Working, seeking employment, or enrolled in an education or training program (not including graduate, law, or medical school) for at least 20 hours per week for part-time care, and at least 30 hours per week for full-time care;
Retired and older than 65; or
You have a diagnosed and documented disability or special needs.
For this cash benefit program and for EAEDC or SSP, please visit DTA’s Economic Benefits Page
Health Insurance
Health Insurance
Flyer for Children and Families_English.pdfFamilies with MassHealth need to renew their coverage (2023)
Families with MassHealth need to renew their coverage (2023)
Families with MassHealth need to renew their coverage this year in order to maintain coverage. Coverage protections put in place during the pandemic will end soon, and MassHealth will return to standard annual eligibility renewal processes. MassHealth families need to take the following steps:
Update contact information – make sure MassHealth has your most up-to-date address, phone number, and email so that they do not miss important information and notices about what else is needed.
Report household changes to make sure MassHealth knows about any changes in their household, like a new job, address, changes to income, disability status, or pregnancy.
Update your information and report changes using your MA Login Account at http://www.mahix.org/individual. Don’t have an account? To create one call MassHealth Customer Service at (844) 365-1841.Find out more about MA Login Accounts Online at mass.gov/masshealthlogin.
Questions? If you have questions, need help with your MassHealth coverage, or if you have lost coverage, please contact MassHealth Customer Service at (800) 841-2900.
More information is available on the MassHealth’s Redetermination website,
Health Insurance
Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program(CHIP), programs providing low-cost or no-cost health coverage for children, are under one program, Mass Health. For eligible children birth-19, coverage covers routine check-ups, immunizations and dental care.
Apply for MassHealth through the Massachusetts Health Connector
MassHealth Customer Service Center
(800) 841-2900
Self-service available 24 hrs/day in English and Spanish. Other services available Monday-Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Interpreter service available. Information on MassHealth and enrollment.
Information for MassHealth applicants.
Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative- Mass Health Services for Children and Youth
Overviews Services for Home-based and Community Services, Autism Services and Youth Substance Use Services for children and youth up to age 21 with MassHealth.
If your child is under 21 and doesn’t have health insurance, call MassHealth Customer Service at (800) 841-2900 and find out if they can get MassHealth. You can learn more about applying to MassHealth by visiting www.mass.gov/masshealth
Loss of insurance coverage due to job loss: Mass Health Connector
The Massachusetts Health Connector is the state's Marketplace for health and dental insurance. Before you apply for coverage, you can see health and dental plans and prices available in your area. The premiums (costs of plans) you see do not include Advance Premium Tax Credits or other savings. You will need to fill out an application to see if you qualify for help paying for costs.
1-877-MA-ENROLL (1-877-623-6765), or TTY 1-877-623-7773 for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled.
Family Resource Information Center
Family Voices of the Federation for Children with Special needs provides
1:1, free confidential assistance and support to parents and caregivers of children with special health needs. For example, information related to insurance access and coverage.
617-236-7210 or 800-331-0688
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