Massachusetts veterans and their families seeking financial assistance can now use a tool that state officials say is designed to help them “quickly determine their eligibility” for the monthly benefits.
The Healey administration has launched a new MassVets Benefit Estimator, developed under the state Executive Office of Veterans Services, to “provide a more seamless experience for veterans seeking financial relief through the Chapter 115 Safety Net Program.”
Officials unveiled the new tool, part of the so-called HERO Act that received State House approval last year, on Friday.
A provision in what state lawmakers described as the “most comprehensive piece of veterans legislation” considered in decades includes protection for veterans receiving state Chapter 115 benefits from losing those entitlements when their federal benefits change.
Chapter 115, a state-funded program, provides direct financial assistance to veterans and families facing financial hardship, with benefits helping cover “essential needs” – daily living expenses, medical and dental costs, rent and housing support, etc.
“This new tool reaffirms our commitment to making Massachusetts the best state for veterans and their families,” Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago said in a statement. “With a more accessible and user-friendly benefit estimator, we are ensuring that no veteran in need is left without access to critical financial assistance.”
Local veteran services offices verify eligibility for Chapter 115 during the application process, considering veteran status, Massachusetts residency, personal assets, income sources and expenses.
The new tool also allows veterans to gain an estimate of how much they are owed in monthly benefits.
Last year, the state Executive Office of Veterans Services helped 5,998 individuals and families receive benefits amounting to $36,933,479.49, an agency spokesperson told the Herald.
The HERO Act also includes more than a dozen different spending and policy initiatives covering the modernization of state veterans services and commitments to “inclusivity and greater representation.”
“Our administration was proud to expand benefits for veterans and their families under the HERO Act, but we need to make sure that they know about and can access them,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement. “This new tool makes it easier for veterans to determine what they are eligible for, how much and how to get it. We encourage everyone to use the Benefit Estimator to make sure they receive the benefits and resources they deserve.”