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DTA Connect: Updating Address

Active clients of any DTA program can use the DTA Connect My Info page to update residential and/or mailing address.

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Mandatory and Optional Client Entries

When a client uses DTA Connect to update their residential address, DTA Connect will require them to either update their mailing address or confirm that it is the same as their residential address. Updating the residential address will also prompt DTA Connect to ask about shelter and utility expenses, but the client will have the option not to answer.

If a client newly flags themself as homeless, DTA Connect will not require them to update or provide a residential address. However, if a client newly flags themself as homeless and updates/removes their residential address, DTA Connect will require them to re-confirm their mailing address. If the client does not complete the mailing address fields, DTA Connect will display a pop-up message advising them that DTA cannot send them important information without a mailing address and to provide a mailing address or call the DTA Assistance Line for further assistance.

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Question About Subsidized Housing

When entering new rent, DTA Connect will ask the client if they are in subsidized housing.

The client’s response will trigger BEACON to automatically select Yes or No for the Subsidized Housing radio button in the Shelter Expense page.

Reminder: TAFDC, EAEDC, or Combo Cases must be reviewed to make sure that private or public housing is accurately coded on the Shelter Expense page to ensure the cash benefit amount is correct.

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Homeless Status

To complete the address workflow, DTA Connect requires clients to indicate whether they are homeless.

If the client uses DTA Connect to only update their homeless status, BEACON will autowrap the case. In this scenario, BEACON will not create an Action or remove the shelter/utility costs on record.

When a client uses DTA Connect to report a change in address, shelter costs, and/or utility costs, the homeless indicator will not be checked or unchecked automatically: The client must indicate homelessness separately. The only exception is if the client uses DTA Connect to report the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) address for mailing: In this case, if the client is currently flagged as homeless, BEACON will automatically uncheck the homeless flag once the change (to the ACP mailing address) transfers into the client’s ECF.

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Using DTA Connect to Update Address While in Address Confidentiality Program

If a client is not currently flagged in BEACON as being part of the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) and reports the ACP address (P.O. Box 9120, Chelsea, MA. 02150-9120) as a new mailing address on DTA Connect, BEACON will automatically check the ACP checkbox on the Address page and clear the existing residential address (and if applicable, uncheck the homeless indicator).

If a client is currently flagged in BEACON as being part of the ACP, they will be unable to use DTA Connect to update their residential address. They will only be able to update their mailing address.

For SNAP-only cases in the FAW model, changing the mailing address from the ACP mailing address to a non-ACP mailing address will trigger an Action. For more information, see the table in the Rules/Procedures for SNAP-only Cases section of this Online Guide page.

Updating Mailing Address to ACP Address

If an active SNAP-only client in the FAW model uses DTA Connect to only add or edit their mailing address, the information will automatically feed into BEACON and wrap-up will be unnecessary.

If the client only reports the ACP address as a new mailing address: BEACON will automatically check the ACP checkbox on the Address page, clear the existing current/permanent addresses (and if applicable, uncheck the homeless indicator), and autowrap the case (provided that there are no other outstanding Actions) with the existing shelter/utility information.

If the client reported the ACP address as a new mailing address and updated their residential address, BEACON will automatically check the ACP checkbox on the Address page, clear the existing current/permanent addresses (and if applicable, uncheck the homeless indicator), and create the DTA Connect – Optional Shelter SUA VC-1 action.

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Rules/Procedures for TAFDC, EAEDC, or Combo Cases

If a TAFDC, EAEDC, or combo client updates their residential address through DTA Connect, the update will appear as a task in the Client Info Update View under Daily Priorities in BEACON. The case manager must review the reported change and determine whether the information is questionable, contradictory, or inconsistent with the case as a whole.

If the information is not questionable and is consistent with the case record, the case manager  must review the Address window in BEACON, accept the address as self-declared, and mark the item as verified on the Verification tab.

It is important to note that residential address updates submitted through DTA Connect will also trigger shelter and utility expense questions that require follow-up by the case manager.. Case managers are responsible for reviewing the update timely, attempting contact with the client when needed, and sending the appropriate VC-1 for any required shelter or utility expense verification.

For TAFDC, EAEDC or combo cases, a VC-1 requesting verification of rent and utility expenses must be sent. In the Shelter Expense window, leave the existing shelter expense record in place, enter $0 for the shelter expense amount, calculate, verify the item and wrap the case in order to allow the case to continue while verification is pending. If there was no previous shelter expense, the case manager must not enter a new shelter expense until verification is received.

Once completed, the case manager must enter a detailed narrative explaining why the shelter expenses were temporarily removed/changed and transfer the case in BEACON to the TAO responsible for the client’s new address, if applicable.

If verification of the shelter and utility expenses is later received, the case manager must update the Shelter Expense page and case record accordingly.

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Rules/Procedures for SNAP-Only Cases

If the client uses DTA Connect to report a residential address change BEACON will clear the existing shelter and utility expense information and create the Action: DTA Connect – Optional Shelter/SUA VC-1. If you receive this action, you must send an optional VC-1 for shelter and utility costs using the procedures outlined in Simplified Reporting – Reporting Requirements During Case Maintenance.

Once the VC-1 is sent, disposition the action and wrap the case without crediting the client with shelter and SUA. (However, if the client was already credited with H-EAT or HEAP, they will retain those credits and continue getting the Heating/Cooling SUA.)

If not counting the expense results in a $0 benefit level or the case being denied for over-income, the case must not be wrapped at this time.  Rather, you must follow the steps outlined in Simplified Reporting – Reporting Requirements During Case Maintenance.

Actions

Below are the types of Actions that may be created when clients make changes to their residential and/or mailing address on DTA Connect during case maintenance:

Action	Reason	Follow-up
Validate Address	The client reports a residential address change, and the address is not validated by USPS.	Follow the procedure detailed in Completing Unvalidated Address Change Requests (SNAP).
DTA Connect – Housing Type Other	The client selects “Other” for address type.	You must attempt to cold call the client. If a call is successful, you must ask the client about the type of housing they live in and update BEACON based on their answer. You must remember to apply any rules and procedures associated with the type of housing they report. For example, apply the procedures in Group Home Processing if they report living in a DDS State Operated group home. If the call is unsuccessful, you must write a detailed narrative and take no further action. Be sure to indicate in the narrative that this issue must be addressed at the household’s next reporting period.
DTA Connect – ACP Ended Update Residential	The client is currently flagged as part of the ACP and updates their mailing address to an address other than ACP mailing address.	Follow the procedure detailed in Address (RFA).
DTA Connect - Optional Shelter SUA VC-1	The client updated their residential address.	Follow the procedures detailed in “Rules/Procedures for TAFDC, EAEDC, or Combo Cases” and “Rules/Procedures for SNAP-Only Cases” above.

After applying the appropriate procedures, you must complete or dismiss the Action.

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Last Update: June 1, 2026

 

 

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