(a)  A family or assistance unit found by the department to meet the eligibility criteria set forth in this chapter shall be eligible to receive cash assistance as of the date a signed, written application, signed under a penalty of perjury, is received by the department.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-11

  • 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
  • Department: means the department of human services. See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8
  • Family: means : (i) A pregnant woman from and including the seventh month of her 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, 42 U. See 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
  • Relative: means a parent, stepparent, grandparent, great grandparent, great-great grandparent, aunt, great-aunt, great-great aunt, uncle, great-uncle, great-great uncle, sister, brother, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, first cousin, first cousin once removed, niece, great-niece, great-great niece, nephew, great-nephew, or great-great nephew. See Rhode Island General Laws 40-5.2-8

(b)  The family members or assistance unit shall be eligible for cash assistance for so long as they continue to meet the eligibility criteria outlined in accordance with this chapter. Parents and adult non-parent caretaker relatives receiving cash assistance shall be eligible so long as they meet the terms and conditions of the work requirements of § 40-5.2-12. An adult caretaker relative shall be eligible for assistance as a member of the assistance unit so long as he or she meets all the eligibility requirements of this chapter.

(c)  The monthly amount of cash assistance shall be equal to the payment standard for the family minus the countable income of the family in that month. The department is authorized to reduce the amount of assistance in the month of application to reflect the number of the days between the first day of the month and the effective date of the application.

(d)  A decision on the application for assistance shall be made or rejected by the department no later than thirty (30) days following the date submitted and shall be effective as of the date of application.

(e)  The payment standard is equal to the sum of the following: four hundred twenty-five dollars ($425) (three hundred sixty dollars ($360) for a family residing in subsidized housing) for the first person; one hundred fifty-nine dollars ($159) for the second person; one hundred thirty-seven dollars ($137) for the third person; and one hundred four dollars ($104) for each additional person.

History of Section.
P.L. 2008, ch. 100, art. 16, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 162, art. 13, § 6, effective July 6, 2021.