HB 578

Foster care; federal benefits; representative payees. Requires local departments of social services to screen any child in foster care for eligibility for certain federal benefits and to apply for such benefits for which the child may be eligible. Under the bill, local departments are required to review existing representative payees to ensure that the representative payee is adequately representing the child's best interests and take appropriate actions necessary to appoint a different representative payee if necessary. The bill specifies that a local department shall only serve as representative payee when no other suitable candidate is available. The bill places limitations on the use of such federal benefits by local departments. Under the bill, if the local department serves as representative payee, it is required to provide an annual accounting detailing the use of such benefits to the child and certain individuals. The bill requires the Department of Social Services to develop and provide training sessions for (i) representative payees serving children in foster care regarding fiduciary obligations associated with serving as a representative payee and (ii) children in foster care who are age 14 and older regarding accessing, managing, and using certain federal benefits.