Children’s disability assistance isn’t income, state Supreme Court says

Hundreds of low-income families could receive new or additional state financial aid following a state Supreme Court decision Tuesday.

News Story (New Hampshire)

Allie Morris
Concord Monitor (NH)
August 2, 2016
READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Tags: Disability Benefits

Organizations mentioned/involved: New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA)

---

DETAILS

The justices ruled unanimously that the state can no longer treat a child’s federal disability assistance as household income when it determines whether the family is eligible for welfare.

Advocates applauded the decision, saying it will return state benefits to families with disabled children who have fallen on hard times and need financial help.

“I’m very, very excited,” said Ruth Heintz, a managing attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance, who represented the plaintiffs. “The people that this decision will assist are really the ones who are the poorest of the poor.”