Trump Administration Orders 39 States to Stop Taking Foster Children’s Social Security Benefits
New federal directive aims to protect survivor benefits for children in foster care and end long-standing state reimbursement practices.
The Trump administration, through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services, has ordered 39 states to stop diverting Social Security benefits owed to children in foster care—specifically survivor benefits from deceased parents—to cover state expenses.
In a press statement, the administration explained that these practices deprive children of their direct financial rights by using their funds to pay for state-run care programs instead of supporting their actual needs and long-term well-being, according to Newsweek.
Federal Push to Protect Foster Children’s Survivor Benefits Continues
The statement noted that 11 states, including Idaho, have already ended this practice and now provide all or part of the children’s owed benefits to meet their needs. Former foster youth Scott Matlock said the new policy changes will ensure children receive every dollar due to them, regardless of the state where they reside.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated: “Under the Trump administration, we are committed to ensuring that every American child has a full opportunity to reach their potential, and government agencies have no right to seize their benefits.”
The Administration for Children and Families, in coordination with the Social Security Administration, plans to provide resources to help the 39 targeted states end the diversion of these benefits and protect the financial rights of children in foster care.
