“The achievements of an organization are the result of the combined efforts of each individual.”
Over the past few months, many of you have been hearing about the OnlineVirtual Gateway to programs offered by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). The initiative is up and running and was publicly launched by Governor Romney at a press conference on September 16. You can look at the details of the Virtual Gateway by going to the EOHHS web page at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ website, www.mass.gov. The Virtual Gateway creates connections between social service-related programs across Massachusetts. It is designed to streamline access to the services and benefits in the following programs: Food Stamps, Child Care, MassHealth, Substance Abuse, WIC, the Women’s Health Network and Early Intervention. With this new online tool, we intend to further increase food stamp participation by enhancing program information and application availability.
Food Stamp Program eligibility has not been changed by this initiative, but the Virtual Gateway will alter the benefit landscape by creating a place where people can access and apply for more than one benefit program at one time. Beyond a common, online intake form, the initiative also features online program description catalogs and general eligibility screening tools. As of this writing, six public sites located in the greater Boston area have been selected for the completion of the online intake form: Massachusetts General Hospital, St. Francis House, Joseph Smith Community Health Center, Community Care for Kids, Pine Street Inn and Boston Medical Center. In the MetroWest region, St. Vincent Hospital and the MetroWest Medical Center have been selected. Catalog and screening functions are available on the Internet to the general public, while the online common intake function is available only at these selected locations. As some of you may already know, once a food stamp online application is taken at one of the designated sites, it is transmitted through the Internet to your local office and processed in a manner similar to Project Bread online applications.
In the coming months, the number of Virtual Gateway applications will grow as the common intake process is introduced at additional locations. As we continue adjusting to the new process, I will rely on your professionalism and specialized skills in maintaining the quality standards we have established for the Food Stamp Program. Thank you for your ongoing efforts towards making this new endeavor successful.
In closing, I also want to address any lingering questions you may have concerning my new appointment as Assistant Secretary for Children, Youth and Families (CYF). I want to reassure you all that I intend to approach this opportunity with the understanding that each agency in the CYF cluster shares a common vision to help the neediest in our Commonwealth. While this appointment broadens my scope, it will by no means diminish my commitment to our agency or the clients we serve.
Sincerely,
John Wagner, Commissioner
