Zunino

We have consolidated for hearing and decision separate appeals of Reatha Zunino and Jeri Singer. Each of these parties had applied for welfare aid as a needy “permanently and totally disabled” person under California’s “Aid to Needy Disabled” Act (hereafter the “State Act”), found in Welfare and Institutions Code sections 13500 to 13801, inclusive. Abbreviated statutory references, unless otherwise stated, will hereafter be to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

The respondent Director of the State Department of Social Welfare (hereafter the “Department”), found neither applicant to qualify as a needy “permanently and totally disabled” person under the State Act. They then sought relief in the superior court by proceedings in mandate under Code of Civil Procedure section 1094.5. The instant appeals were taken from adverse decisions entered in those proceedings.

Subchapter XIV of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C.A. §§ 1351-1355 , inclusive) entitled “Grants to States for Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled,” provides for federal funding to any state which has submitted to and had approved by the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (hereafter HEW), plans…