(a)  All families who wish to make application to the department of human services for assistance under this chapter shall have the opportunity to do so.

lawyer at desk

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-9

  • Assistance: means cash and any other benefits provided pursuant to this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Assistance unit: means the assistance-filing unit consisting of the group of persons, including the dependent child(ren), living together in a single household who must be included in the application for assistance and in the assistance payment if eligibility is established. See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Benefits: shall mean assistance received pursuant to this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Department: means the department of human services. See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Dependent child: means an individual, other than an individual with respect to whom foster care maintenance payments are made, who is: (i) Under the age of eighteen (18); or (ii) Under the age of nineteen (19) and a full-time student in a secondary school (or in the equivalent level of vocational or educational training). See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Family: means : (i) A pregnant person from onset of pregnancy; or (ii) A child and the following eligible persons living in the same household as the child: (iii) Each biological, adoptive or stepparent of the child, or in the absence of a parent, any adult relative who is responsible, in fact, for the care of such child; and (iv) The child's minor siblings (whether of the whole or half blood); provided, however, that the term "family" shall not include any person receiving benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Minor parent: means a parent under the age of eighteen (18). See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Net income: means the total gross income of the assistance unit less allowable disregards and deductions as described in Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • State: means the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8

(b)  Cash assistance shall be provided to eligible needy families only with dependent children who meet all the requirements of this chapter.

(c)  Eligibility for benefits provided in accordance with this chapter is determined on a family or assistance unit basis.

(d)  The following persons shall be included in the assistance unit, unless the person receives state supplemental assistance or supplemental security benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1381 et seq., if living in the same household with any dependent child: all minor blood-related, step, or adoptive brothers and sisters, and all natural, step, or adoptive parents of the children, including cohabitating adults who share a minor child.

(e)  A minor parent may be in the assistance unit that may also include all natural, step, or adoptive parents of the minor parent and all minor blood-related, step or adoptive brothers and sisters.

(f)  If the parents are not residing together, a child shall be considered residing with the parent who has physical custody of the child the majority of the time. If the child resides with the parents in their separate households equal time, the parent who applies for assistance for that child first in time shall be the eligible parent.

(g)  Each person in the assistance unit shall develop all potential sources of income for which the person may be eligible. Each person shall apply for the income, cooperate in applying for the income, and accept the income if eligible.

(h)  Eligibility for cash assistance exists if the assistance unit’s net income is less than the payment standard for the assistance group size.

History of Section.
P.L. 2008, ch. 100, art. 16, § 1.