Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-06

work because of illness, physician
should examine the person to deter
mine his ability to work and prescribe
for his medical needs.
Every dependent child upon reach
ing the age of IA years should go to
work for the time allowed by the
school attendance laws, provided he is
physically able to work, and also pro-
vided that suitable employment can be
obtained for him.
Aid should be rendered directly to
the applicant or in case of illness to
her authorized adult representative.
Minor children should not be allowed
to call for aid at the office of the
Municipal Board.
Cash aid should be granted in every
case if the mother is found to be COM
petent to manage cash. If the mother
is not competent to manage cash aid,
some one, other than a member or en-
ploye of the Municipal Board. who is
competent and willing to assist her, to
whom the cash aid can be paid, should
be recommended by the Municipal
Board for approval of the State Board.
Weekly payment of allowances is
recommended.
In determining the amount of aid
necessary for given family not only
the number of persons in the appli-
cants family, but also the health, age.
and the capabilities of each member of
the family must be considered. The
former income and the former stans
dards of living of the family as well as
the standards of self-supporting citi-
Zens in the neighborhood need also to
be considered. The amount of weekly
aid required will vary with the chang
ing needs of the family. For instance,
aid should be increased in time of
sickness: it should be decreased pro-
portionately as the earning capacity or
the income Of the family from any
source increases. Discontinuancc OF
air should be recommended as soon as
the family becomes self-supporting.
In all cases the Municipal Board of
Mothers Aid should be required to
furnish proof satisfactory to the State
board that the applicant has resided in
Maine for five years prior to the date
of her application for mothers aid.
in cases where the Municipal Board
OF Mothers Aid claims that the moth
er has no legal settlement, the NUM-
cipal Board must furnish proof salts
factory to the state board and to the
committee on State beneficiaries and
pensions of the Governor and Council
that there is no legal settlement in any
city or town in Maine.
whenever an. applicant changes
her address the Municipal Board of
Mothers Aid should promptly notify
the State Board. When the recipient
of mothers aid moves out of city or
town a new application for aid should
he made by her to the Municipal
Board of the town to which the family
has moved. Aid may, however. with
the approval of the State board be
continued on the old application for
reasonable time in order to allow the
mother opportunity to make new
claim.
The following items of expense are
suggested for careful consideration
of the Municipal Boards when estmat-
ing the amount of aid necessary for a
given family: Food, extra food allow
ance should be made for members of
the family who are predisposed to
tuberculosis or who are Commissioning
from illness. and in large families the
per capita food allowance may be
somewhat reduced; rent. reasonable
amount for a suitable tenement of
proper size in a desirable location.
The following sources of weekly in
come should be carefully considered in
estimating the weekly income Of a
given family: Income from funds, pen
sions. rentals etc; aid from relatives
and societies: net Wages of mother for
part time work; net wages of children
of working age. The amount needed
by a given family may be estimated by
finding the difference between the total
weekly expenses of the family and its
net weekly income.
In view of the provision relative to
not acquiring settlement and not pau
perizing the applicant, which are con-
tanned in the Act to provide aid for
mothers with dependent children,
Municipal Boards are advised not to
recommend an applicant as a recipient
of this aid who will not be able, with
the aid of this allowance and the help
of relatives, friends and charitable so
cieties to support her family. without
receiving pauper supplies in addition"