Other Resources

December 9, 2024

Advancements, Challenges, and Lessons Learned

In this webinar CAI and policy experts delve into the legislative and policy progress states have made, the obstacles they face in protecting SSI survivor and disability benefits for youth in foster care, and the innovative solutions advocates have implemented.

Webinar Resources

April 17, 2024

Congressional Briefing

The Center for the Rights of Abused Children, Children’s Advocacy Institute, and Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute held a virtual congressional briefing highlighting some of the barriers youth in foster care face related to disability and survivor benefits, lifting up the voices of youth with lived experience, and proposing concrete actions to better meet the needs of transition-aged foster youth and move them towards self-sufficiency.

Briefing Resources

Child Welfare Financing SFY 2022

Child Trends

Child Welfare Financing SFY 2022: A Survey of Federal, State, and Local Expenditures

Child Welfare Financing SFY 2020

Child Trends

Child Welfare Financing SFY 2020: A Survey of Federal, State, and Local Expenditures

Social Security Administration Resource

Benefit Application Guide

Apply for various types of Social Security benefits, including survivor and SSI (disability).

Social Security Administration Resource

Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool

See if you may qualify for Social Security benefits by answering a few questions.

Social Security Administration Resource

Information for Representative Payee

Provides information and FAQ about serving as a representative payee.

ABLE Accounts

ABLE National Resource Center

Connecting people with disabilities, their families, and those who support them to information about Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts.

ABLE National Resource Center

Directory of State ABLE Programs

Directory of state ABLE programs

ABLE Accounts, Special Needs Trusts

The ARC

Community-based organization advocating for and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and serving them and their families. Offers videos, webinars, fact sheets, trainings, and more.

ABLE Accounts and SNTs: How to Choose?

Special Needs Alliance

Describes the features of ABLE accounts and Special Needs Trusts and insights into choosing which one is suitable for a particular beneficiary’s needs, and provides a link to help find a special needs planning attorney.

Advocacy, Information, Education, Referrals

Disability Rights California

The agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. Provides programs for Information and Referral, Investigation of Abuse and Neglect, Legal Representation & Rights Protection, Education & Outreach, and Public Policy Advocacy.

Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security

Disability Rights California: The PABSS Program

Provides information about Protection & Advocacy For Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS), which assists Social Security beneficiaries with return to work issues.

How to be your own payee fact sheet

Disability Rights California: Be Your Own Payee

Provides a fact sheet and information on how to become your own payee, if you are able to manage your own money.

Cal ABLE Accounts

CalABLE

Provides information and resources on saving for the future without affecting your eligibility for public benefits.

Special Needs Trusts

Special Needs Alliance

National organization of attorneys committed to the practice of disability and public benefits law. Provides information and resources on creating special needs trusts.

Assistance with Representative Payee, SSA Cases

Disability Law Center

DLC is a private, non-profit organization responsible for providing protection and advocacy for the rights of Massachusetts residents with disabilities. Among other things, it investigates representative payees for SSA and provides technical assistance to legal services and private attorneys handling SSA disability benefits cases.

Pooled Special Needs Trusts

The Arc: Pooled Special Needs Trusts

Provides a video explaining that a pooled special needs trust is, and why you might want to consider one.

Informational Comparison of Types of Accounts

NAELA News/Commonwealth Community Trust

Provides a comparison of 529 ABLE accounts, pooled special needs trusts, and special needs trusts.

Webinar and Resource Guide

Alliance for Children’s Rights

Provides a webinar on drafting an SSI application for children in foster care

Special Savings Accounts to Conserve Social Security Benefits

Child Trends

Discusses options for conserving Social Security benefits belonging to children in foster care, such as through the use of Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts.

Transition Planning for Foster Youth with Disabilities: Are We Falling Short?

Centerstone

Identifies five key factors that appear to be contributing to problems in transition planning for foster youth in special education.

ABLE Account Flyer

ABLE National Resource Center

Discover the life-changing power of an ABLE account.

Remarks of Congressman Danny Davis

Breaking Down the Economic Barriers for Foster Youth (June 10, 2021)

Comments of Rep. Davis at the Briefing on Breaking Down the Economic Barriers for Foster Youth (June 10, 2021) on the need to ensure that older foster youth receive and benefit from all the Social Security and Veterans benefits for which qualify.

Find Federal Benefits After Losing a Loved One

Life experiences can be stressful. Finding benefits shouldn’t be.

Learn about potential Federal benefits in one place. Provides information on how to identify potential benefits.

Railroad Retirement and Survivor Benefits

RailRoad Retirement and Survivor Benefits

Describes the retirement and disability annuities provided for employees under the Railroad Retirement Act, and the benefits available to their spouses and survivors.

Black Lung Benefits: Survivor’s Claim

Guide to Filing for Black Lung Benefits: Survivor’s Claim

Provides information on applying for monthly benefits to eligible surviving family members of coal miners whose deaths were due to black lung disease.

Arizona Reform Implementation Resource

Arizona Department of Child Safety Service Guide

Provides program requirements related to the Preserving Children’s Benefits Program (HB 2559)

Arizona Reform Implementation Resource

Arizona Department of Child Safety Policy No. DCS 03-20

Comprehensive policy statement on the Preserving Children’s Benefits Program (HB 2559)

District of Columbia Reform Implementation Resource

Social Security Income Benefit Conservation Annual Report, 2023

Report issued pursuant to the 2022 POKETT Act, which requires the Mayor to submit an annual status report on CFSA’s efforts to conserve the Social Security benefits of children under its care.

Oregon Reform Implementation Resource

Department of Human Services Policy Transmittal CW-PT-24-002

Administrative rule implementing SB 556 and amending trust account rules

America First Policy Institute

State Actions to Preserve Federal Benefits for Foster Children

Issue brief calling on states to take action to keep foster children informed about their federal benefits and stop agencies from stealing them

America First Policy Institute

Protecting Federal Benefits for Foster Children

Model executive order prohibiting state agencies from taking rightful federal benefits away from a child in foster care and requiring that child welfare agencies preserve the child’s benefits in the best interest of the child

The Federalist Society

Explainer Episode 87–Child Welfare Funding & State Use of Foster Youth Benefits

Podcast discussing how federal benefits belonging to foster youth are managed, the policies guiding their use, and the ongoing conversations about their impact on foster youth and the child welfare system.

Other Resources

Advancements, Challenges, and Lessons Learned

Congressional Briefing

Other Resources

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