Consolidated Amendment "D" to H4200
Social Services and Veterans
Fiscal Note: $15,318,000
Amendment 742 has been re-categorized from Health and Human Services
Amendments from Social Services: 47, 55, 99, 102, 150, 181, 186, 187, 198, 216, 220, 332, 336, 338, 381, 385, 388, 404, 407, 424, 522, 528, 541, 643, 648, 719, 721, 756, 781, 818, 821, 832, 835, 839, 871, 880, 888, 891, 896, 911, 949, 958, 965, 1004, 1012, 1037, 1046, 1049, 1068, 1080, 1150, 1152, 1158, 1188, 1204, 1207, 1208, 1216, 1223, 1224, 1226, 1239, 1250, 1258, 1276, 1302
Amendments from Veteran Services and Soldiers Homes: 83, 89, 113, 135, 160, 176, 225, 241, 246, 280, 289, 326, 334, 335, 419, 428, 466, 481, 507, 513, 560, 742, 767, 768, 789, 801, 840, 1053, 1185, 1190
Mr. Dempsey of Haverhill and others move to amend the bill in section 2, in item 1410-0010, by adding the following words:- ; provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended for the Veteran's Oral History Project at the Morse Institute Library in Natick; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be allocated for Heidrea for Heroes; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for the purpose of sustaining the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Worcester; and provided further, that not less than $85,000 shall be expended for the NEADS Assistance Dogs for Veterans program to train assistance dogs for veterans;
And move to further amend said item by striking out the figure “$3,222,497” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $3,562,497;
And further amend said section 2 by striking out item 1410-0012 and inserting in place thereof the following item:-
1410-0012 For services to veterans, including the maintenance and operation of outreach centers; provided, that the centers shall provide counseling to incarcerated veterans and to Vietnam era veterans who may have been exposed to agent orange and the families of such veterans; provided further, that not less than $124,000 shall be expended for the operation of the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center women’s housing program; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for New England Veterans Liberty House; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for the Springfield chapter of NABVET’s Veteran’s First Outreach Center to provide outreach services to veterans in Hampden County; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended for Nathan Hale Outreach Centers; provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended to the Leominster Veterans Center in the City of Leominster for the purpose of updating the Center for handicap accessibility; provided further, that not less than $35,000 shall be expended for Vietnam Veterans of America organization in Massachusetts; provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended to the Cape & Islands Veterans Outreach Center for the purpose of the Grace Veterans Program; and provided further, that centers shall provide services to veterans who were discharged after September 11, 2001 and the families of such veterans…. $3,667,641
And further amend said section 2, in item 1410-0075, by striking out the figure “$125,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $250,000;
And move to further amend said section 2, in item 1410-0250, by adding the following words:-; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the Turner House Living Center for Veterans in Williamstown; provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended for transitional services at Our Neighbor’s Table in the city of Amesbury;
And move to further amend said item by striking out the figure “$2,891,809” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $2,971,809 ;
And move to further amend said section 2, in item 1410-1616, by adding the following words:- ; provided further that not less than $10,000 shall be expended for maintenance services for the Korean War Memorial located in the Charlestown Navy Yard; provided further, that not less than $20,000 shall be expended for the purchase and installation of the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Fall River; provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for construction, upgrades or repairs for the Agawam War Memorial; provided further, that not less than $5,000 shall be expended for construction, upgrades or repairs for the Southwick War Memorial; and provided further, that not less than $10,000 shall be expended for improvements on the Veteran's Memorial in Rockland;
And move to further amend said item by striking out the figure “$100,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $150,000;
And move to further amend said section 2, in item 4000-0005, by striking out the figure “$6,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $6,500,000;
And move to further amend said section 2, in item 4401-1000, by inserting after the words “termination of their benefits;” the following:- ; provided further, that the department shall spend no less than the amount spent in fiscal year 2016 for the young parents program and the competitive integrated employment services program; provided further, that not less than $794,000 shall be expended for contracts entered into with the Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants with whom the department of transitional assistance entered into service agreements within fiscal year 2016;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$5,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $11,794,000;
And move to further amend said section 2, in item 4403-2000, by inserting after the words “chapter 5 or any successor law” the following words:- ; provided further, that a $40 per month rent allowance shall be paid to all households incurring a rent or mortgage expense and not residing in public housing or subsidized housing; provided further, that a non-recurring children's clothing allowance of $200 shall be provided to each child eligible under these programs in September 2016;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$203,865,086” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $209,865,086;
And further amend said section 2, in item 4800-0015, in line 110, by inserting after the word “months;” the following:- (l) the number of children and families served by the family resource centers by area; provided further, that not later than November 3, 2016, the department shall submit a report to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on children, families, and persons with disabilities that detail any changes to rules, regulations or guidelines established by the department in the previous fiscal year to carry out its duties under chapter 119 of the General Laws; provided further, that the report shall also contain an evaluation of the family resource centers services provided and their effectiveness;
And further amend said section 2, in item 4800-0038 by adding at the end thereof the following words:- and services for people at risk of domestic violence, including payroll costs; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended for Rick’s Place of Wilbraham to provide counseling services for youth who have experienced the death of a parent in the Pioneer Valley; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to the Methuen Athletic Improvement Committee’s Methuen Youth Center Committee for community outreach and other committee purposes; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for the Weymouth Teen Center to provide job skills training, remedial education services, and to promote a social service program promoting growth and social welfare; provided further, that not less than $140,000 shall be expended for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County; provided further, that not less than $20,000 shall be expended for On Common Ground, Inc.; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the planned learning achievement for youth program in Amherst; provided further, that funds may be expended on programs that received funding in fiscal year 2013; provided further, an amount not less than fiscal year 2013 shall be expended on children’s advocacy centers; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for the operation of the Catholic Charities Labouré Center and its Recovery Connections program; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for Treehouse Foundation of Easthampton for planning to replicate the Intergenerational Treehouse Community model in the metrowest region; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended for Julie’s Family Learning Program, Inc;
And further amend said item by striking out the figure “$282,777,853” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $283,612,853
And move to further amend the bill by inserting after section 43 the following sections:-
SECTION 43A. The department of transitional assistance, in collaboration with the executive office of health and human services, shall provide a report on current fraud detection measures within the agency and department to reduce fraud in public assistance benefit programs and to study the feasibility of implementing a biometric authentication system. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the cost savings that would result from the elimination of duplicate assistance fraud in public assistance programs and the feasibility of using biometric technology to create a reliable system of identification. The report, along with any legislative recommendations, shall be filed with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate within 90 days of the passage of this act.
SECTION 43B. There shall be a special commission to study the feasibility of establishing an economic mobility and financial stability program for families and individuals with extremely low incomes, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, in the commonwealth. The commission shall examine data related to programs that provide joint support for stable housing and aim to increase economic self-sufficiency, program outcomes for individuals or families including changes in earned income, education, and use of state and federally funded services, and, to the extent feasible, feedback of participants enrolled in existing programs.
The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the undersecretary of housing and community development who shall serve as chair; the secretary of education; the secretary of labor and workforce development; the commissioner of transitional assistance; the president of the senate; the speaker of the house of representatives; the minority leader of the house of representatives; the minority leader of the senate; the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on housing; and one representative of each of the following organizations: Abt Associates, a municipal housing authority, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association, Compass Collaborative, CONNECT, Crittenton Women’s Union, Homes for Families, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Organizations, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants, Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, MIDAS Collaborative, Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, and the University of Massachusetts Center for Social Policy.
The commission shall file a report of its findings and recommendations with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives who shall forward the same to the joint committee on housing on or before February 1, 2017.