A California county was discovered taking Social Security survivor benefits intended for foster children to reimburse itself for the cost of their care, leaving many vulnerable youth homeless.
never thought she would end up in foster care , but after losing both of her parents at a young age, she spent three years in a Southern California group home. When she aged out of the system, she had no family to rely on, no money, no home, and nowhere to go. She ended up living in a tent just off the freeway for almost seven months, and bounced in and out of various homeless shelters, while working part time and taking college classes.
As it turns out, Katrina was legally entitled to life-changing money. When her biological parents died, she became entitled to their Social Security survivor benefits which they had contributed to during their working years.
For foster kids like Katrina, these benefits would have allowed her to transition into stable and safe housing, and ensure she had her basic needs met as she launched into adulthood without her parents. Approximately 29 percent of foster youth who remain in the foster care system past the age of 17 have experienced homelessness in some capacity between the ages of 19 and 21.
Most everybody understands that those acting as fiduciaries may not take the money for themselves, but that is precisely what happens here. In a recent advisory, the Social Security Administration admonished foster care agencies “to carry out the duties of representative payees, including meeting regularly with beneficiaries and deciding on an individual basis how to use and save benefits in the beneficiaries’ best interests.
Amy Harfeld is the National Policy Director for the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of LawEnormous Navy fuel ship launched in San Diego at time of growing global tensionsDon’t absolve Harris for the missing 320,000 migrant kidsBryce Miller: ‘Complete’ Padres are a matchup no one wants in OctoberNFL DFS Week 3 Optimal Lineup: Kyler Murray will be QB114 years ago, San Diego roundly rejected a sales tax hike.
Foster Care Homelessness California Social Security County Officials
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