Foster care payments.

Assembly Member Bryan's foster care legislation expands county responsibilities for managing Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits received by youth in the foster care system. The bill requires counties to conserve rather than use these benefits to offset care costs, while establishing additional protections for benefit management and eligibility maintenance.

Under the amended provisions, county placing agencies must establish dedicated accounts to conserve SSA benefits for foster youth's future use, including Plan to Achieve Self-Support accounts and 529A plans. The legislation mandates that counties obtain input from a child's family team when determining benefit usage and requires providing detailed accounting to youth over age 12 and their attorneys upon request.

The bill expands eligibility screening requirements beyond the current 16-17 age window, requiring counties to screen nonminor dependents who experience qualifying changes in circumstances or medical conditions. For youth receiving both SSA benefits and federally-funded foster care payments, counties must temporarily forgo federal payments during one month annually to maintain SSI eligibility. Counties must also file appeals when benefits are denied or terminated, except when lacking sufficient documentation.

Thirty days before a youth exits foster care, counties must coordinate with the youth, their attorney, and guardians to transfer control of conserved funds appropriately. While the legislation creates new county obligations, it specifies that increased costs will not require state reimbursement unless related to previously mandated realignment programs.