The proposed bill amends the Foster Care and Adoption Services Act by introducing a new section, Sec. 8f, which establishes specific obligations for the Department of Health and Human Services concerning children in foster care. The department is required to screen children for potential eligibility for benefits within 60 days of their entry into foster care and annually thereafter, as well as to apply for any benefits the child is not already receiving. Additionally, the department must identify a representative payee or fiduciary for the child, ensuring that it acts in the child's best interests and conserves a portion of the benefits as the child matures. The bill also mandates annual accounting of the child's resources and provides for financial literacy training that covers essential personal finance topics.

Moreover, the bill introduces new requirements for financial instruction, including a comparison of various saving and investment strategies. It establishes protocols for notifying the child in foster care and their attorney about benefit applications and related decisions. If the department serves as a representative payee, it must provide notice before juvenile court hearings regarding benefits and disclose information about the child's assets. The bill clarifies that all benefit payments are the property of the child and outlines the process for releasing remaining funds upon the termination of the department's responsibility, specifying that funds should be released to the child if they are 18 or emancipated, or to a responsible person if the child is under 18 and not emancipated. The term "benefits" is defined to encompass various federal assistance programs.

Statutes affected:
Substitute (H-1): 722.951, 722.960
House Introduced Bill: 722.951, 722.960
As Passed by the House: 722.951, 722.960