Hawaii Reaffirms Protection of Foster Youth Social Security Benefits, With Trust Funds Belonging to the Youth
HONOLULU, Hawaii — Hawaii reaffirmed on October 26 that the state will continue protecting the federal Social Security benefits of foster youth, ensuring the funds belong to the young people themselves rather than being used to offset the state's care costs. Under the legislative framework established by House Resolution 117 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 188, Hawaii formally ended in 2023 the practice of redirecting foster youth survivor benefits to reimburse state care expenses.
Since July 1, 2023, the Hawaii Department of Human Services has set up individual trust accounts for foster youth and systematically maintains them, keeping the funds transparent and accessible to the beneficiaries. Eligible foster youth can now directly use their own federal disability or survivor benefits, providing an economic foundation for life after they leave state care.
The state says the approach marks a cultural and legal shift among U.S. states on the federal benefits of vulnerable children, as more states stop reclaiming benefits that belong to the children.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：夏威夷州议会大厦。照片：Farragutful，CC BY-SA 4.0，经维基共享资源。 / The Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu. Photo: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
