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Maine bill would require DHHS to apply for federal benefits on behalf of children in state custody
Summary
Representative Amy Rader introduced LD 52 to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, proposing that the Department of Health and Human Services identify and apply for Social Security and veterans benefits for children in its custody and provide related training to staff and representative payees.
Representative Amy Rader of House District 23 introduced LD 52 at a public hearing of the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, saying the bill would require the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to determine whether children in the department’s custody are eligible for federal benefits and to apply for those benefits on their behalf.
"My name is Amy Rader, and I represent House District 23, which includes a portion of the great city of Bangor. I am here today to introduce LD 52, an act to require the Department of Health and Human Services to apply for federal benefits on behalf of children in the department's custody who may be eligible for those benefits," Rader said during the committee's public hearing.
LD 52 directs the department to determine whether a child in its custody is eligible for benefits administered by the U.S. Social Security Administration or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and to submit applications when appropriate. The bill also would require the department to provide training to children receiving federal benefits as well as to department staff and to representative payees who receive benefits on a child’s behalf.
Rader cited a 2021 federal report that, she said, found about 27,000 children in foster care receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) each year and that in more than 80% of those cases the Social Security Administration appoints the state child welfare agency as the child's representative payee. The committee did not take a vote during the portion of the hearing in the provided transcript.
Committee leadership opened the session and explained public hearing procedure before testimony began. Representative Michelle Meyer served as the House chair of the committee and Senator Henry Ingorson served as the Senate chair; staff analysts and clerks were present and the hearing was held both in the committee room (the "horseshoe") and on Zoom. The committee announced it will hear additional bills during the same series of public hearings, including LD 431, LD 99 and LD 518.
The bill, as presented in the hearing excerpt, focuses on administrative responsibility for identifying and applying for federal benefits; the transcript excerpt does not include committee debate, proposed amendments, a staff fiscal note, or a recorded vote. Additional testimony and committee action may be scheduled in subsequent sessions.
