Section 2A: Food stamp employment and training plan; maximization of federal 50–50 match program
Section 2A. (a) The department of transitional assistance shall amend the food stamp employment and training plan to maximize the use of the 50–50 match provision, so-called, for the claiming of allowable federal matching funds from the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to the federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program for education, employment and training services for eligible food stamp participants, including related dependent care and transportation expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by federal law.
(b) The department, together with agencies and other entities that provide education, employment or training services in the commonwealth, including but not limited to the department of developmental services, the department of mental health, the department of education, the department of workforce development, the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission, local governments, community colleges, other educational institutions, workforce organizations and nonprofit providers of education, employment and training services, shall continue and expand efforts to enroll eligible education, employment and training program participants in the food stamp program and to enroll eligible food stamp participants in education, employment and training activities.
(c) In addition to any other sums appropriated by the general court for those services, the department shall expend $3,000,000 annually from revenue received from the United States Department of Agriculture as federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program matching funds for employment and training services provided by, or under contract with, the department of developmental services, the department of mental health, and the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission for employment and training services provided to recipients and former recipients of transitional aid to families with dependent children.
(d) Funds not to exceed the equivalent of 5 per cent of federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program matching funds received in any fiscal year, excluding the amounts made available for expenditure by the department of transitional assistance pursuant to subsection (c), shall be made available to the department of transitional assistance for otherwise non-reimbursed administrative costs associated with claiming federal matching funds pursuant to the federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program for education, employment and training services for eligible food stamp participants.
(e) Upon application by an agency or other entity, including but not limited to the department of developmental services, the department of mental health, the department of education, the department of workforce development, the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission, local governments, community colleges, other educational institutions, workforce organizations and nonprofit providers of education, employment and training services, whose expenditures for education or training services for food stamp participants generated the federal matching funds, funds equivalent to the remaining federal Food Stamp Employment and Training Program matching funds received in any fiscal year shall be provided, on a pro-rata basis, to support additional education, employment and training services and related program costs and up to 5 per cent of these funds may be used for administrative costs incurred by said agency or organization claiming said federal matching funds. These funds shall not be used to supplant existing services.