Updates from State Rep. Chris Poulos - March 3, 2023

March 3, 2023

The best part of my week was spent touring Southington High School and Hatton Elementary School with school officials and State Rep. Jeff Currey, House Chair of the Education Committee in the Connecticut General Assembly.

There’s no better way to learn how best to improve public education than by talking with students, teachers, and administrators about how we can replicate what’s working in our schools, while also learning how we can fix what’s broken in an effort to overcome the barriers to effective teaching and learning.

 

Please continue reading below for other noteworthy items, and thanks for taking the time to read them!

 

Veterans Coffee Hour

On March 20 from 10-11 a.m., Join Commissioner Thomas Saadi from the Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs and I for Veterans Coffee Hour at Calendar House Senior Center presented by the Town of Southington Veterans Service Office.

Veterans Coffee Hour

We hope to see you for coffee and conversation!

Critical Changes to Benefits

Starting on April 1, there will be changes for some of our most vulnerable individuals and families who are on Medicaid. The COVID-19 public health emergency protection will be coming to an end and Medicaid enrollees who were continuously covered will again have to provide proof of eligibility to continue getting benefits.

If you get your healthcare through HUSKY or the Department of Social Services (DSS), you have not had to do your annual redetermination since March 2020. But starting in April, you will have to prove your eligibility once every year. In addition, you will need to provide identification, address, and proof of income.

DSS Field Offices are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

FIND A DSS OFFICE NEAR YOU

In addition, extra SNAP benefits have come to an end. Since April 2020, some individuals and families received an extra SNAP payment on their EBT cards in the middle of each month. According to DSS, it does not have control over when those benefits end since they are tied to federal legislation.

SNAP redetermination happens every six months. You will once again have to provide identification, your address, proof of income, and your social security information.

All households that are eligible for SNAP benefits will receive one payment starting in March. Those funds will arrive in the first three days of the month depending on the last name. Those in the program will receive their normal monthly benefit.

Households can now check their EBT balance in real-time by visiting www.mydss.ct.gov. On MyDSS, you can also update DSS with any case changes, complete renewals, view documents, or verify case status from a computer or mobile device.
 
To learn more as well as where to obtain resources for families dealing with the ending of the extra SNAP benefits, visit www.ct.gov/snap/extracovidbenefits.

Join the America 250 | CT Commission Community Listening Sessions

Last year, the America 250 | CT Commission was created to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which will take place in 2026. The Commission is tasked with creating an inclusive and engaging commemoration where Connecticut’s residents can appreciate history's relevance and understand the diverse people of the past that all contributed to the American story.

You can play a significant role in the commemoration as the America 250 | CT Commission wants to hear from you! If you have ideas on what you would like to see from the event, please consider providing your input.

Provide feedback by registering to participate via Zoom during an upcoming community listening session.