Title 40
Human Services

Chapter 5.2
The Rhode Island Works Program

§ 40-5.2-11. Cash assistance.

(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.

(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: five hundred ten dollars ($510) (four hundred forty-five dollars ($445) for a family residing in subsidized housing) for the first person; one hundred ninety-one dollars ($191) for the second person; one hundred sixty-four dollars ($164) for the third person; and one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) for each additional person.