44:1-1 Definitions.

44:1-1. As used in this chapter:

"Almshouse" means a place where the poor are maintained at the public expense of a municipality or county, which has not established and does not maintain a welfare-house.

"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Human Services.

"County adjuster" means the official of that designation authorized to act in the cases of commitment or admission of persons who have a mental illness to state or county psychiatric hospitals.

"May" shall be construed to be permissive.

"Municipality" shall not include, in meaning, a county, unless otherwise indicated by the context, but shall include a city, borough, township, town, village, or municipality governed by an improvement commission.

"Overseer" means a person who is charged with the superintendence and relief or removal of the poor within the overseer's jurisdiction or found in the overseer's municipality, and means superintendent in all cases where a superintendent as defined in this section is authorized to act when there is no overseer.

"Permanent or indoor poor" means poor persons who may be better relieved or maintained and supported under the provisions of this chapter by commitment to a welfare-house, almshouse, or, with limitations, in the home.

"Poor person" means one who is unable to maintain himself or those dependent upon him.

"Public charge" means a person to whom it is necessary to furnish proper relief as provided in this chapter.

"Settlement of a person" means a person's right under the provisions of this chapter to relief or maintenance and support in a municipality, county, or counties.

"State board" means the State Board of Human Services.

"Superintendent" means the employee of a welfare board of a county or district authorized to act for it and under its direction and to act for overseers where there are none.

"Temporary or outdoor poor" means poor persons who can be relieved temporarily at their domicile or without being maintained in an almshouse or welfare-house.

"Voluntary wards of the county welfare board" means persons admitted to a county welfare-house on application to the county welfare board and not supported entirely at public expense.

"Welfare board" means the board of one or more counties authorized to have charge, supervision, and control of a welfare-house and to supervise through a superintendent such work for or in relation to the poor as directed or authorized.

"Welfare-house" means a place where persons unable to care for and maintain themselves in whole or in part by reason of age, infirmity or poverty may be cared for and maintained in whole or in part at the expense of a county or municipality under the superintendent of a county welfare board in a county or portion thereof or districts composed of more than one county or portions thereof.

"District welfare-house" where so mentioned, means one established and maintained by more than one county or portions thereof.

amended 2013, c.103, s.117.