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Massachusetts TANF State Plan

of sexual assault and domestic violence in order to keep Massachusetts residents safe. The Council is committed to improving prevention efforts, enhancing support for those impacted by sexual assault and domestic violence, and to holding those who perpetrate sexual assault and domestic violence accountable. The full mission and scope of the Council can be found in Executive Order 563. DTA is represented on the Council by Crystal Jackson, Director of the DTA’s Domestic Violence Unit. Some initiatives of the Council that may prevent statutory rape are the Domestic Violence Toolkit and RESPECTfully. The Domestic Violence Toolkit provides local law enforcement with the tools to support survivors of domestic violence and to identify risk and re-assault factors. It has been implemented in municipal police departments in over 65 cities and towns. RESPECTfully is a public awareness and prevention campaign to increase awareness about what constitutes a healthy relationship. The target audience for RESPECTfully is youth between the ages of 12 and 18 and those who serve or care for youth ages 12 through 18. Through Jane Doe, Inc., the Massachusetts White Ribbon Day Campaign promotes and encourages men and boys to be allies in the prevention of sexual and relationship violence. In addition, the Department’s Domestic Violence Unit is represented on the State’s Roundtables on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, which operate through the state’s District Attorneys and on local High-Risk Assessment Teams, which are comprised of public and domestic violence service providers, law enforcement, district attorneys’ staff, probation staff, batterers’ intervention programs and other stakeholders to better identify and respond to domestic violence cases that pose the highest risk of lethality. DTA’s Domestic Violence Specialists serve anyone who identifies as a survivor of domestic violence and/or sexual assault (including statutory rape), by developing safety plans and referring them to services in the community, including advocacy, counseling, shelter and Legal Aid, as appropriate. The Domestic Violence Specialists also assist survivors with DTA benefits and housing options, if homeless. (a)(1)(A)(vii) Outline how the state intends to implement policies and procedures as necessary to prevent access to assistance provided under any electronic fund transaction in an automated teller machine or point- of-sale device located in a place described in section 408(a)(12), including a plan to ensure that recipients of the assistance have adequate access to their cash assistance. The Commonwealth has enacted a state law to prohibit the use of cash assistance, including TAFDC, in electronic benefit transfer (EBT) transactions at liquor stores, casinos, gambling casinos or gaming establishments, and retail establishment which provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment, as well as other establishments not identified in Section 408(a)(12). Retailers face fines from $500 for a first offense, $500 to $2500 for a second offense and not less than $2500 for a third offense. See M.G.L. c. 18, § J. In addition, the Commonwealth has prohibited the use of cash assistance held on EBT cards to purchase alcoholic beverages, lottery tickets, gambling, adult oriented material or performances