Bill Overview
Title: Protecting Foster Youth Resources to Promote Self-Sufficiency Act
Description: This bill addresses matters concerning Social Security benefit and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for children in foster care, including by (1) prohibiting states from using payments that are received on behalf of a child in foster care to recoup or recover costs associated with the child's foster care, and (2) excluding any support received by a child in foster care from income calculations for purposes of SSI.
Sponsors: Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Target Audience
Population: Children in foster care
Estimated Size: 127000
- The bill focuses on foster children who are recipients of Social Security benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- Foster children are already a small population group compared to the wider population, with specific reliance on government support systems.
- Globally, not all countries have systems similar to Social Security and SSI, so the effects are restricted to countries with such systems, primarily impacting U.S. foster youth.
- The changes proposed do not extend beyond the U.S., meaning the direct global effects would be largely non-existent apart from any influence on global policy or legislative inspiration.
Reasoning
- We have about 127,000 foster children in the US who are potentially affected by the policy change concerning Social Security benefit and SSI payments.
- The bill targets foster children whose payments were previously used by states to cover foster care costs. These children gain more financial security as their benefits are safeguarded for their own use.
- Given the policy's focus, not all foster children are impacted. Specifically, those with Social Security or SSI who had their payments used for foster care expenses are directly affected.
- This simulation considers a diverse set of foster children with different backgrounds, disabilities, and reliant variables to understand the potential variation in policy impact across the target population.
- The fiscal constraint suggests significant but bounded improvements in foster children's living conditions, likely focusing on enhanced financial stability that may impact education, health, and overall quality of life.
Simulated Interviews
Student (New York, NY)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Before, I was really worried about how I would manage after aging out of the system.
- Knowing that the money is going to be saved for me changes everything.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Student (Dallas, TX)
Age: 12 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's great that this money will be available for things like school supplies and saving for the future.
- It was always unfair that it was used for the foster care costs before.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 15 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy means I might be able to afford a laptop that I need for my schoolwork.
- I always felt left out when I couldn't participate in school activities due to costs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 8 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I didn't exactly know how the money was being used before, but now my foster parents say it will help me directly.
- It's nice to know there's some savings for me, even if I won't see it right away.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've been struggling to save any money for when I leave foster care.
- This policy means I'll have something to get started with, like finding stable housing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 1 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 1 |
Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 10 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I like the idea that there's money saved for things like a bike or summer camp.
- The foster program has been a little tight on extras, so this helps.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Student (Buffalo, NY)
Age: 14 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My savings will help me healthcare that's unexpected like doctor visits and meds.
- I could use this for special equipment I need for my classes too!
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 2 |
Looking for employment (Seattle, WA)
Age: 18 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Honestly, without this policy, my life after foster care seems impossible to start.
- With some funds from saved benefits, I can focus more on job skills and less on survival.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 1 |
Student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 13 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I didn't know much about the money stuff until my caregiver explained how this helps us keep things like electronics for learning under control.
- Everything counts when we're planning for my education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Student (Jacksonville, FL)
Age: 9 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My grandma always worried about money for my school stuff, so this helps her a lot.
- That gives me something to look forward to like new school clothes or books.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $380000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $450000000)
Year 2: $395000000 (Low: $310000000, High: $465000000)
Year 3: $410000000 (Low: $320000000, High: $480000000)
Year 5: $440000000 (Low: $340000000, High: $500000000)
Year 10: $500000000 (Low: $380000000, High: $550000000)
Year 100: $800000000 (Low: $500000000, High: $1000000000)
Key Considerations
- State budgets need adjustments to replace recouping costs formerly covered by Social Security and SSI funds.
- The policy may improve individual outcomes for foster youth leading to broader societal benefits.
- Administrative adjustments are necessary for state and federal agencies to comply with new funding parameters.