A Crisis of Access: Massachusetts DTA Sued Over Dire SNAP Benefit Disruptions

Imagine being on the brink, relying on food assistance to feed your family, only to find yourself repeatedly disconnected when trying to get help. That, unfortunately, is the stark reality for countless vulnerable residents in Massachusetts, a crisis now at the heart of a significant lawsuit against the state's Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA).

Filed in Suffolk Superior Court on September 21, 2026, the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) is taking the DTA, and specifically Commissioner Michael Cole, to task. Their core accusation? That the department is unlawfully pulling the rug out from under families by terminating or, just as devastatingly, reducing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. And the culprit, they argue, is a severely broken system where reaching a human caseworker is virtually impossible.

The numbers, frankly, are quite alarming. During the first half of 2026 alone, the DTA's assistance line, meant to be a lifeline, automatically disconnected a staggering 74% to 81% of incoming calls on average. Think about that for a moment: trying to get through to someone, needing help, and just… poof, gone. This isn't just an inconvenience; it's a barrier that, MLRI contends, directly leads to people losing vital benefits simply because they can't connect with the very agency designed to help them.

This persistent failure to connect with residents has had a measurable, and frankly heartbreaking, impact. Since August 2024, Massachusetts has seen an 18% decline in the number of households receiving SNAP benefits. It's difficult to argue that such a significant drop isn't directly tied to the systemic roadblocks people face when trying to access or maintain their assistance.

In response to these undeniable pressures, Governor Maura Healey's administration did put forth a supplemental budget proposal, introduced just days after MLRI filed its lawsuit. This proposal earmarks $26.6 million to help retain 78 existing DTA employees and, notably, to bring on 10 new hires. Additionally, about $15 million is proposed for technology upgrades and other staff support. On the surface, it sounds like a step in the right direction, a recognition of the problem.

However, Vicky Negus, a senior economic justice advocate at MLRI, doesn't mince words. She describes the Governor's budget proposal as "woefully underinvesting" in a genuine solution. For Negus and MLRI, simply patching things up isn't enough; the current proposal "does not systemically solve the access crisis." Their firm belief, perhaps unsurprisingly, is that the only true systemic fix lies in "more staff" – and significantly more than the mere 10 new hires suggested by the administration.

Let's be clear, this lawsuit isn't just about restoring benefits for a single individual or a handful of plaintiffs. No, it aims for something far larger: systemic relief for the "thousands" of families across Massachusetts who are grappling with this broken system. It's a fight, MLRI indicates, that will continue regardless of whether an individual plaintiff's benefits are eventually reinstated, because the underlying issues run deep and demand comprehensive resolution.