Dear Community Partners,
The federal government has directed states to change who qualifies for a specific type of SNAP certification called the Elderly/Disabled Simplified Application Project (EDSAP). To comply, DTA updated eligibility criteria for its Elderly/Disabled Simplified Application Project (EDSAP), effective August 7, 2026. Approximately 8,200 households with a member age 60–64.5 who is not disabled will convert from EDSAP Reporting to Simplified Reporting (Former EDSAP).
This change is required by USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) after they updated terms and conditions for the EDSAP demonstration project, requiring states to limit EDSAP eligibility to adults age 65 or older with no earned income.
Affected households will keep their current 36-month certification period, their certification end date, and their benefit amount. Clients will now need to submit an interim report and will be screened for ABAWD exemptions if they haven’t been already. No immediate action is needed from clients; the Department is updating the existing notice to explain the new reporting requirement.
Thank you.
Lorraine Ward
She/Her/Hers
Department of Transitional Assistance
Director of Food Access and Nutrition
1 Ashburton Place | 5th Floor | Boston MA 02108
Phone:978-725-7204
Cell: 617-937-9765
Email: Lorraine.Ward@mass.gov