Contents

Introduction  ................................................. .  1
Overview  of Foster Care  ..........................................  2
Federal Requirements Applicable to All Foster Care Children ........... 2
Title IV-E  Federal Foster Care Program  ............................ 3
Foster Care Maintenance Payment ............................. 3
Other Reimbursable Costs ................................. 5
Support for Foster Children Not Eligible for Title IV-E ................ 5
Youth Who "Age Out" of Foster Care .............................. 6
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
for  C hildren  ..................................................7
Social Security Benefits for Children (Title II)  ....................... 8
Benefit Amounts for Children  ................................ 9
W hen  Children's Benefits Stop  ............................... 9
SSI Benefits for Children  (Title XVI)  .............................. 9
SSI Asset Limits and Assets Not Counted As Resources
in the SSI Program  ...................................  10
Representative Payees in the Social Security System ................. 11
Representative Payees for Children Receiving Benefits ........... 11
Order of Selection of Representative Payees .................... 12
Responsibilities of Representative Payees .......................... 14
Statutory  Responsibilities  .................................. 14
Regulatory Responsibilities  ................................ 14
Special Rules Concerning Creditors and Debts .................. 14
Social Security and SSI Benefits for Children in Foster Care ........... 15
SSI-Eligible Foster Children  ................................... 15
Concurrent Receipt of Benefits  .................................. 16
Use of SSI and Other Social Security Benefits
by  Child  W elfare Agencies  ................................. 17
Keffeler Decision  ................................................ 20
The Decision of the Washington State Supreme Court ............ 20
The Opinion of the Supreme Court  ............................... 20
Benefits Should Not be Used for Foster Care  ................... 22
Benefits Should Be Used for Foster Care  ...................... 23
Possible Legislative Changes ......................................  25
Pass Through Benefits  ........................................ 25
Best Efforts to Find Alternative Representative Payees ............... 26
Change Asset Levels  ......................................... 27
Plans for Achieving Self-Support (PASS)  ...................... 28