| A Supreme Court decision that invalidated the rules used by the state Department of Human Services to determine cash assistance to disabled people has led to a lawsuit filed against the department, the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii said.
Legal Aid filed the lawsuit on behalf of four disabled adults who have been receiving reduced general assistance benefits since July 1995, when the rules went into effect.
General assistance benefits are cash paid to disabled Hawaii residents who have no other means of support. The cash benefits are currently $340 a month.
The lawsuit asks a Circuit Court judge to raise the monthly benefits to $418, the amount disabled people received before the rules were implemented.
"A difference of $78 may not sound like a lot to many people, but for our clients it can mean the difference between a roof over their head and being homeless," Legal Aid lawyer Barbara Fabrey said.
The state Supreme Court in September struck down the rules in a lawsuit brought by Big Island welfare recipient Carl Foytik. | 