[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6464092,"mediaKeyId","5784467-281013d9fd1e79bbae8004d947da536a","parentId",5784467,"title","Former foster youth, advocates press Michigan lawmakers to stop states from seizing youths’ Social Security benefits","audioSeconds",783,"startMs",4514155,"endMs",5297170,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784467-281013d9fd1e79bbae8004d947da536a&start=4514&end=5297","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784467-281013d9fd1e79bbae8004d947da536a/thumbnail_4514155.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6464092/Michigan/Former-foster-youth-advocates-press-Michigan-lawmakers-to-stop-states-from-seizing-youths-Social-Security-benefits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464092-d70566dc220bab20ed15d830daf7b818/orig.mp4?Expires=1775598472&Signature=FIRq4LT~x8~4Etc6kxeSQVX-ml9COv8Sr7ElD-mb3To7DBmGSMyQQJZdPnNhW6iUa5vmlk-96wckeCp4-qyZFSX4Qou5QmUo3hhSLDa1CN0ZtYQsj5yUzdHGQR6nIcr-wuDGnT1mhROUYTV5oLKCYX0nSzY--Xnr8fcZFzZ8zR8n3akspMO94bIii6hv5KqRbs3ormq-inGkjg-~t2yCvWfeD3RteuLo0k8Y5To8X7Aq1DcJ-602Mu98ARe6OMnBSbN0EmRZV3N-18vn3Gzw6qc2PEtmPS-2TnwOga8UswLN0xOT7bYKU24kAbgW6Lfvk9b1TV5Lo0lbWl6T4ihRCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan Legislature","date","2025-09-17T04:22:29Z","article","Former foster youth and advocates told the House Oversight Subcommittee on Child Welfare System that Social Security and other benefit payments intended for children are in many cases received by state or third‑party payees and not preserved for the child.

Justin Couschetta, a Michigan native who testified in person, said he lost roughly $18,000 in Social Security survivor benefits after his father’s death when he and his siblings entered foster care. “About $18,000 in total was taken from just me,” Couschetta said. He told the committee that representative‑payee rules under the Social Security Administration allow a payee to receive funds on a child’s behalf, and in Michigan those funds have at times been used to reimburse state foster care costs or absorbed into state accounts.

Couschetta and other witnesses said the practice is not universal nationwide and that several states have acted recently to preserve such funds for children. He said House and Senate bills have been introduced in Michigan (he referenced “House Bill 47 50” and “Senate Bill 18” during testimony) to deposit funds into accounts the child can access later — such as an individual development account or trust managed until the child reaches an age for independent access.

Saba Gabri and foster youth witnesses told the committee that when payees other than the child receive the benefits, it can create confusion and abuse; one witness said roughly 600 young people in Michigan account for about $3.5 million in diverted benefit funds. Witnesses proposed several administrative and legislative fixes, including:
- Creating a custodial account or trust (an individual development account) that holds a child’s SSA or veteran benefits until the child is old enough to access them or until narrowly specified needs arise.
- Clearer state guidance on appointment of representative payees and who may serve in that role.
- Options for an independent custodian or professional trustee rather than automatic transfer to state general funds.

Why it matters: Witnesses linked preservation of these funds to improved outcomes for youth aging out of care, arguing that access to money for education, housing deposits or other transition needs can reduce homelessness and long‑term public costs. Couschetta noted bipartisan interest in the issue and said his proposals have gained attention from multiple national policy voices.

Committee response and next steps
Committee members asked about who currently serves as representative payee and where funds go; witnesses said the payee can be the state or a local court/municipality, and that practices have varied. Members asked advocates to provide draft language and implementation options; advocates said they were working with Representative Schmaltz and Senator Irwin on measures to preserve funds for children.

Ending
Members thanked the witnesses and asked staff to follow up with the advocates and MDHHS for additional detail. No committee vote on statutory change occurred at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Oversight Subcommittee on Child Welfare System - 9/16/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Former foster youth and advocates told the House subcommittee that survivor and disability benefits paid to children following a parent’s death or disability are sometimes diverted from the child to state accounts; witnesses urged statutory changes to preserve those funds for the child’s future.","taxTitle","2025-2026 House Legislature MI, Michigan","taxId",77683,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6464097,"Foster youth advocates tell House panel lack of consistent food assistance is harming stability, schooling and health",1417,2632600,4049829,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784467-281013d9fd1e79bbae8004d947da536a&start=2632&end=4049","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784467-281013d9fd1e79bbae8004d947da536a/thumbnail_2632600.jpg","/articles/6464097/Michigan/Foster-youth-advocates-tell-House-panel-lack-of-consistent-food-assistance-is-harming-stability-schooling-and-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464097-041b3f12fe9a28356fc5d5161f45b602/orig.mp4?Expires=1775598472&Signature=S3dsVIrA0epWgqAJu81v3Hgi4ukUFmM0MumLuKTwhZjCUdQ~kifUJArLlKpuLGdHTpwPZg5Wyc9A3Wf40oOEXTbisnxCb-yp5CcSyDfbFwDbjL2LOZUa~i2jXsxDurjFmnSe6bSGRjMqO2u2NgufbkNQOcsHDgBZFap8TJA6WAAszj6C83THY4Bwp~h9L1YM3vU2C7cXlxGol~0C6~30m0rCHwzeBZWDzOVh7xUmT-YXPqUxA4g3xUc2A4foL67fSOdNr~-E~8UL0ZIJLO4uo7gjge4eLFjHug2pjLWTF4-vNcTxS1ZM3cd-1mc9m~WuJK8nX5JMUOFR5p5lNjPDmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives from Michigan’s Children and Park West Foundation testified to the House Oversight Subcommittee on Child Welfare System that foster youth in Michigan face repeated and prolonged interruptions in food assistance when they move between placements.

Dr. Heather Baumstau, vice president of programs and policy at Michigan’s Children, introduced youth advocates from Park West Foundation and FYTech, who described gaps between the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Services Administration (CSA) and the Economic Stability Administration (ESA) that leave many youth without access to nutrition support.

“Young people who grow up in foster care have reported anxiety about not knowing how and when and what to eat in different people’s homes,” Saba Gabri of Park West Foundation told the committee. Several youth witnesses described repeated denials, confusing eligibility rules and application delays that in some cases left children and young adults without benefits for one to three months.

Key recommendations from witnesses
- Issue individual Bridge Cards: Provide a Bridge Card in each foster child’s name (ages 0–26) and align issuance with foster‑care medical coverage so benefits transfer smoothly across placements.
- $250 emergency food allotment: Provide a one‑time $250 food assistance deposit the day a child is placed in a new home or moves into semi‑independent/independent living.
- Exemptions from work requirements: Use Michigan’s 15 percent SNAP exemption to exempt foster youth ages 18–26 (and other high‑need groups such as veterans and people experiencing homelessness) from SNAP work requirements when they cannot secure employment.
- Create a specialized MDHHS team and clearer eligibility guidance: Witnesses said a trained team could reduce repeated denials and application delays between CSA and ESA.

Foster youth accounts from advocates
- Shari Hastings, a FYTech member and full‑time college student at Michigan State University, said she was repeatedly denied food assistance because she could not meet work requirements while taking 16–20 credits and internships. “Students who are full time should not be penalized for pursuing education,” Hastings said.
- Elena Markham and other youth described multiple applications and denials across placements, occasional approvals for very small monthly amounts (Markham said she was once approved for $17 a month), and removal from benefits when employment or housing situations changed.

Data and impacts cited in testimony
Witness presenters cited internal survey results and third‑party studies: 74 percent of Michigan foster youth reported food as their top urgent need in a survey the presenters summarized; the panel was given figures showing a 39 percent foster‑youth graduation rate in Michigan versus 82 percent for peers; presenters also cited a 47 percent unemployment rate among foster youth and research from Harvard/Annie E. Casey Foundation claiming foster youth experience trauma at rates comparable to or higher than some veteran populations. Committee members asked MDHHS staff and presenters about how federal SNAP and state ESA rules interact with proposed changes.

Committee response and next steps
Representatives praised the youth advocates’ testimony and asked presenters to work with MDHHS staff. Dr. Baumstau and Park West representatives said they had engaged MDHHS ESA and CSA over the past two years on administrative fixes but called for statutory or procedural changes to create a durable statewide solution.

Ending
Witnesses urged the committee to consider legislative and procedural options to ensure foster children and young adults have uninterrupted access to food; committee members asked for data and paperwork to inform potential next steps.","Michigan's Children, Park West Foundation and foster youth advocates urged the House subcommittee to simplify and centralize food benefits for foster children and youth, proposing individual Bridge Cards, a $250 emergency allotment on placement and exemptions from SNAP work requirements for vulnerable youth.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6464100,"Detroit nonprofit urges Michigan lawmakers to require trauma training, safety plans and independent abuse investigations",1154,434365,1588850,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5784467-281013d9fd1e79bbae8004d947da536a&start=434&end=1588","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5784467-281013d9fd1e79bbae8004d947da536a/thumbnail_434365.jpg","/articles/6464100/Michigan/Detroit-nonprofit-urges-Michigan-lawmakers-to-require-trauma-training-safety-plans-and-independent-abuse-investigations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464100-955808006da2af765a980e800c50a8c7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775598472&Signature=DAKlw--nQPTKH47QsDR7xjbtv9MNWzrHIDV3FN2-DaeNREzxifPfQF42GjRdWrdX0LBqDtjeVikFQ1Sk1F6b2hR3l6Lk-Ze5iq72qIb5XHYVS0Fg7l8iREgwD2QszIo82CfarRdnhTVLSgLSiDmuAhzWtVGpU9zHMPCzKLUlp5SDaj7suWb9fXFnuD5WL-a4rm7YtEBT-WR0vhQgS4ztF1a2I08zQpU0Opf1c0RjjKhia3S8MqsQAZAh6fgzcg0e-yzRzuH0bHUmo2-VT4KivbrXWgTsfKF9TZf5SvaHipeCrwllKUl6X3bpB-2P0NfGRK4c81imXfPMvEFBeSUneA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Neighborhood Service Organization President Linda Little told the House Oversight Subcommittee on Child Welfare System that her organization’s “Don’t Touch Me” awareness campaign seeks three legal changes to better protect children reported as abused. Little, joined by Mikael Muhammad of Reclaiming Our Community, asked lawmakers for mandatory, age‑specific trauma training; a requirement that safety plans accompany returns of children to homes where abuse allegations exist; and independent investigations by each agency that interacts with child abuse reports.

The proposals, Little said, are “based on the countless women who have told their stories about what’s happened to them in this system,” and she urged lawmakers to prioritize children’s safety. “Our mission with this movement is to ensure that every child has a right to be safe, to be heard, and to be free from harm,” she said.

Why it matters: Witnesses told the panel that training gaps and institutional overlap create situations where evidence and disclosures are missed or downplayed, and that those failures can have fatal consequences. Little cited recent high‑profile cases in Michigan and said survey research conducted by Epic MRA in June found 600 Michigan respondents and 92 percent support for reforms like the ones she described.

Details of the proposals and testimony
- Mandatory, age‑specific trauma training: Little said professionals across the child welfare continuum — Child Protective Services workers, law enforcement, judges and guardians ad litem — often lack training on how children exhibit and disclose trauma. She told the committee several professionals had “admitted that they had not been trained on child abuse.”
- Safety plans at return: Little recommended a mandated safety plan when a child is returned to a home after an unsubstantiated or partially substantiated investigation; those plans could include regular check‑ins, education and family‑reunification strategies intended to protect the child.
- Independent investigations: Little argued that relying on a single agency’s view (for example, CPS relying on law enforcement findings) creates gaps. “Each independent and distinct entity should conduct their own investigations and come to their own conclusions based on the evidence of fact,” she said.

Committee members asked for examples and implementation details. Representative Regas and others pressed whether parts of the three‑part package exist in other states; Little said some states have pieces in law, such as mandatory training for certain mandated reporters and certification requirements for guardians ad litem. Committee members asked Little and Muhammad to provide examples and state statutes they had reviewed.

What the testimony did not assert
The witnesses requested legislation but the committee did not vote on any bill during the hearing and no draft text was presented in committee that would enact the three proposals. Witnesses described practices they said were common in some cases, but they did not assert that a particular statewide policy currently exists in Michigan requiring the exact package they proposed.

Next steps and context
Little offered to provide the committee with research and written materials on states that have adopted similar measures. Committee members said they would read the handouts and consider how the ideas might be translated into policy or procedural changes.

Ending
Committee members thanked the witnesses and said staff would follow up; no formal legislative action was taken at the hearing.","Neighborhood Service Organization and partners presented a three-part legislative package — mandatory age‑specific trauma training, safety‑plan mandates and independent investigations — aimed at reducing abuse and gaps in Michigan’s child welfare responses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Former foster youth, advocates press Michigan lawmakers to stop states from seizing youths’ Social Security benefits

Foster youth advocates tell House panel lack of consistent food assistance is harming stability, schooling and health

Detroit nonprofit urges Michigan lawmakers to require trauma training, safety plans and independent abuse investigations