PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A City Council committee advanced a bill on Tuesday that would prohibit Philadelphia’s child welfare agency from keeping federal benefits intended for children in its care. The Department of Human Services has been keeping about $1 million a year in benefits for foster children.
Vaughn Jackson, who adopted two boys he had been raising as foster children, was shocked to learn a few years later that DHS had been collecting their social security benefits. The agency had not told Jackson that the two brothers were even eligible for the benefits.
“I need all the help I can get. I’m trying to do the right thing. I’m doing my part, but I feel like the system is mistreating me,” Jackson said.
It may seem like adding insult to injury, for a child to end up in foster care then be denied access to federal entitlements, but it’s the default practice nationwide.
Human Services Commissioner Kim Ali says Pennsylvania law requires that the city seek benefits on behalf of eligible children and apply the money to the cost of caring for them. She agreed, though, the practice should change.
“We have engaged the state to see if there’s a way for the city to replace the federal portion of the cost with city dollars,” Ali said. “We understand that the funds can be a lifeline for those aging out of foster care who have increased rates of poverty, housing insecurity and food insecurity. As the Children’s Advocacy Institute of San Diego has noted, ‘These funds could be the difference between a security deposit and couch-surfing.’”
Ali also agreed with the bill’s provision that, at the very least, children’s families should be notified about their eligibility and given instructions for how to ask to become the payee, instead of the city, and said her department is already working on that.
The bill will go to the full Council in the fall.
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