All applicants who receive GA while receipt of their Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) assistance is pending or suspended (and which
therefore may be retroactively issued to the applicant at a later
date), will be required to sign a statement on an interim assistance
agreement form distributed by the DHHS that authorizes the Social
Security Administration to direct a portion of any retroactive SSI
payment to the municipality and/or the state in repayment for the
GA granted. Any GA applicant who has applied for or who may be applying
for SSI, or who may be required to apply for SSI pursuant to 22 M.R.S.
§ 4317, and who refuses to sign the interim agreement SSI
authorization form will be found ineligible to receive GA until he
or she provides the required signature (22 M.R.S. § 4318).
The spouse of an applicant, and the parents of any applicant
under the age of 25, are liable for the support of the applicant (22
M.R.S. § 4319). In addition, the grandchildren, children,
parents, grandparents, the spouse and a registered domestic partner,
are liable for the burial costs of each other. The municipality considers
these relatives to be available resources and liable for the support
of their relatives in proportion to their respective ability. The
municipality may complain to any court of competent jurisdiction to
recover any expenses made on behalf of a recipient if the relatives
fail to fulfill their responsibility (22 M.R.S. § 4319).